Caught in a Trap
by GreenField
Summary: Sequel to 'My Funny Valentine'.Fred and Viria's daughter Bonnie is 16, and caught between her crush on Teddy Lupin,her admirer Liam Jordan and the advice of her best friend Joe Bell,how can Bonnie possibly hope to get through her final year?Lots of Fred and Viria included. Please R and R! Cover image by twelveofdecember DeviantArt .
1. Disorderly

**A/N: Hi! So, I got some requests for a sequel to My Funny Valentine. So I decided to write one. It's not going to be exactly what I hinted at in the AN of My Funny Valentine, but you'll soon see what I mean by that. I really hope you all find this and all my old readers continue to read and review this. I'd be really grateful. Thank you so much! You probably would need to have read My Funny Valentine to get into this, but I won't know if you haven't, so I won't kill you or anything. This is just a set up chapter, so please review kindly!**

A tall sixteen year old girl with flaming red hair, freckled cheeks and emerald eyes sat cross-legged in the garden of her childhood home, threading the hair of her younger sister with daisies.

"You okay over there, Bonnie?" Viria called to her daughter, laying out plates of food on a long table underneath the marquee, baby on her hip. Bonnie smiled.

"Sure, Mum. I'm fine" she replied, continuing to braid. Twelve year old Ally (Alison, but no-one, not even her parents, had called her that since birth) fidgeted impatiently.

"Are you nearly done? I need to get changed" Ally was still in her pyjamas, itching to put on the summer dress that she had bought for the annual family get together. Viria loved playing hostess.

"Nearly...there!" Bonnie added the final flower with a flourish, "You look great, Ally. The white looks amazing on your hair, as it's so dark"

Ally, who was going through what Molly referred to as a 'phase', grunted and moved away without thanking her older sister. Viria moved to take her place, flopping down on the grass beside her eldest daughter, cradling her six-month-old son, Jack. Her other son, Finn, was also in the garden, rushing about with a pretend wand that shot out green sparks.

"I'll be glad when your father gets home" Viria murmured, closing her eyes against the sun and exhaustion, "I like parties, I just don't like the organisation"

Bonnie laughed, not unkindly but without sympathy, "You put yourself up for it every year. You should let someone else take over next year"

Viria looked horrified by the thought, "Good grief, Bonnie, no! Our parties are legendary"

"Suit yourself" Bonnie played with Jack's soft starfish hands and looked up at her mother, shielding her eyes from the sun, "Is Dad going to try and set me up with Liam again tonight?"

Viria's eyes opened wide, "Oh. You know about that?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, "Of course I do. Nothing would make Dad happier than for me to end up married to Liam Jordan"

Viria laughed awkwardly, "He is a nice boy, Bonnie, and he does like you so..."

"I didn't realise you were in on it!" Bonnie threw a handful of grass at her mother, but couldn't quite find it in her heart to be annoyed with her parents; truth be told, she found the whole thing quite amusing, "He doesn't like me that way, I tell you that for nothing. And I don't like him that way either"

"Your father will be devastated"

"Will I? What about?" Fred appeared through the side gate, grinning as usual, and hugged Finn, who had flown over to him eagerly, "Hey, Finn! I do hope you've been listening to what your Mummy and Bon-Bon have been saying about me?"

Finn shook his head, looking alarmed, "But that's spying, Daddy"

Fred laughed ruefully, "Okay, okay. You are definitely your mother's son" moving away from Finn, he kissed Bonnie's cheek, scooped up Jack and planted a long, lingering kiss on Viria's lips. Bonnie grimaced.

"Oh, that's really quite disgusting" she grumbled, "_Please_, I've only just had my lunch"

Viria and Fred pulled away from each other, both of them laughing.

"I think _you _need to be kissed, Bon-Bon" Fred observed teasingly, "Then it might not gross you out as much"

Bonnie blushed, "Shut up, Dad! Anyway, there isn't anyone I _want_ to kiss" she retorted, not entirely truthfully. Viria noticed the lie, but knew better than to comment.

Fred looked crestfallen, "Not even Liam? I can assure you, he's a very nice boy – "

"DAD!"

* * *

Bonnie had been in love with Teddy Lupin for as long as she could remember. The only problem was, so had her cousin and best friend, Victoire. Which made things a little complicated.

Neither of them ever addressed the fact that they both loved Teddy; it was an unspoken rule between them that they could not mention it. The only person Bonnie ever talked to about Teddy was her closest and most reliable best friend, Joe Bell. They had become friends in first year, when Joe dared her to eat a newt's eye in their first Potions lesson. She did it without so much as a gag, and won both Joe's respect and his friendship. They had been inseparable ever since, and she always missed his company over the summer.

Instead of dancing with Teddy at the party as she had wanted to, Fred had somehow managed to lumber Bonnie with Liam Jordan – AGAIN. Bonnie was sick of Liam, and it didn't help that at that moment, Teddy and Victoire were dancing barefoot in the grass, laughing, Victoire looking beautiful as always. Bonnie wished that she looked like Victoire. No-one ever looked at her when Vicky was around – except Liam, that is.

"So are you excited about going back? I know I am" Liam asked eagerly. He wasn't a bad person really, Bonnie thought; he was sweet and he told good jokes, and he wasn't even bad to look at: she just didn't like him that way.

"Yeah, I guess" Bonnie watched as Teddy twirled Victoire round, once again envying the silkiness of her silver-blonde hair, "Look, Liam, I'm really sorry, I just thought of something that I have to...that I have to tell Victoire"

"But she's dancing" Liam pointed out, looking hurt. Bonnie, hating herself for it, threw him the stunning smile that she had inherited from her mother. That smile consistently allowed her to get away with murder.

"Oh, don't worry about that! She's used to me cutting in. I'll be back in just a second" she lied in honeyed tones, and moved to step between Victoire and Teddy.

"Hey, Bonnie!" while Teddy's smile was inviting as he pulled her in to dance with them, Victoire's was clearly not, "I thought you were going to ignore us all night"

Bonnie laughed, "Now, how could I ever do that?"

Victoire glared at her through gleaming blue eyes.

Bonnie twirled in Teddy's arms.


	2. Departure

**A/N: Hi! Sorry it's taken me a little while to update, but thank you so much for all the support, I'm really glad to know that you all want to read this! Thank you for reading and please review!**

"You're sure you've got everything?" Viria fussed as she helped lug her daughters' trunks to the car, "Because we are NOT turning round and coming back like last time"

"Mum, how many times have I packed this trunk?" Bonnie laughed, strapping Jack into his car seat, "I'm not likely to forget anything"

"It's not you I'm worried about" Viria retorted, looking at Ally through narrowed eyes. Ally scowled, as she was so prone to do nowadays.

"I've packed everything! Leave me alone!"

Viria and Fred exchanged a glance as Ally stormed off to get in the car. Bonnie had soon followed, along with a whining Finn, who persisted in asking why he couldn't go to Hogwarts too.

"We'll have two less to deal with when we drop the girls off" Fred whispered cheerfully.

"Yeah, and we'll be left with the two highest maintenance ones" she pointed out wearily, and they both laughed. Bonnie poked her head out of the window.

"We haven't got time for you two to be laughing! We have to meet the others, remember?"

* * *

As far as Bonnie was concerned, waiting for the train on the first day of school was pretty much a Weasley family convention. You couldn't move for Weasleys on the 1st September, and if you did manage to escape them, you would only run in to one of the five Potters. If Bonnie hadn't been a Weasley herself, she probably would have found it annoying.

Ally went running over to James and Fred, the only cousins in her year, who tolerated having her around more because she was family and she was quiet rather than because they enjoyed her company. Bonnie had forgotten that it was Rose and Al's first day, and she went swiftly over to Rose to check that she was okay.

"Not nervous are you, Rosie?" she asked, smiling. She'd always liked Rose, and they both had the same curly red hair and freckles. Rose had always idolised her cousin Bonnie, but today she seemed too anxious to be awed.

"A bit" she mumbled. Bonnie squeezed her hand.

"Hey! Don't be. If you're in Gryffindor – which you will be – I'll see you every day, at every meal _and i_n the evenings. So I can look after you. But I don't think you'll need me to – you're going to make loads of friends, Rosie"

"Promise?"

"'Course I do" Bonnie hugged her, then scanned the platform, "Look, Rosie, that boy's cute, and he's obviously in first year. You can start with him, eh?" she wiggled her eyebrows, intending to make Rose laugh, but to her surprise, Rose blushed.

"I can't be friends with him, Bonnie. Dad says that's Draco Malfoy's son"

"Oh" Bonnie grinned suddenly and leaned closer to whisper in Rose's ear, "The forbidden ones are always the most fun. Make sure you have a bit of fun at Hogwarts, Rosie, even if you are a cleverclogs like your mother"

Rose giggled, and turned back to Al with a much brighter expression on her face. Bonnie scanned the platform again. No sign of Teddy and Victoire yet, but she saw someone else that she certainly wanted to converse with. Pushing past the Sunshine Twins, her nickname for Uncle Percy's annoying twin daughters Molly and Lucy, and through the muddle of her younger cousins who weren't yet old enough to attend Hogwarts, she ran towards Joe Bell.

"Joe!" she yelled, "Hey, JOE!"

People were starting to look at her, but much odder things had happened on this platform than a seventeen year old girl greeting her best friend. Joe's face lit up when he saw her, even if, when she hugged him, she did almost knock him over.

"Bon, I'd appreciate if you didn't push me in front of a train before our last year of school is over" he laughed, ruffling her hair. Bonnie slapped his hand away, grinning, and straightened it.

"Sorry! If you touch my hair again, though, I might just have to try that one out..."

"If I haven't got you first"

"Like you could fight me off"

"Bonnie! Bonnie!" Viria came rushing over as the train pulled in, Fred close behind her. He'd pulled Finn on to his shoulders to avoid losing him in the crowd, and Viria was holding Jack so tightly it looked as though she was worried someone would steal him.

"Hi, Mr Weasley, Mrs Weasley" Joe said cheerfully. Viria sighed.

"Joe Bell, if I have to tell you one more time to call us Fred and Viria...right, Bonnie, we've said goodbye to Ally, it's your turn. You will write, won't you? And let me know how she is, because I know she won't?"

"Of course I will" Bonnie hugged her mother tightly, and kissed Jack, who waved goodbye with the cheerful smile he always wore on his face when Bonnie was around, "I'm going to miss you"

"I always miss you" Viria replied, kissing her cheek, "Have fun"

Fred grabbed Bonnie next, and she had to strain to reach up and high-five Finn, "Be a good girl, Bon-Bon. I don't want any reports of bad behaviour"

Bonnie poked him in the ribs, "You've never had any trouble with me and it's not about to start no – " she stopped suddenly, staring over her father's shoulder. Fred had felt her freeze.

"Bon-Bon? What's wrong? You're not getting upset about leaving, are you?"

Bonnie pulled back quickly, briefly closing her eyes to force away a sudden onslaught of tears. How could Teddy be kissing Victoire? How? She'd been getting on so well with him lately, she really thought that he might like her back...damn Victoire to Hell! How could they kiss in front of her?

"I'm fine, Dad" she said quickly, forcing a smile for him, "Just had a moment. I always do when I have to leave"

"Well if you cry, I'll cry" Viria cautioned, already looking damp-eyed. Fred rolled his eyes.

"Why break with tradition? We both know you're going to cry all the way home as it is"

Viria glowered at him, "You're not supposed to talk about that"

"Mum, I already knew" Bonnie said quickly, so that Viria seemed placated, "We need to go. Love you lots, both of you"

"Love you too!" Viria and Fred chorused. Bonnie felt Joe's hand on her arm as he steered her towards the train and bundled her onto it. She didn't start focusing properly until they were in a compartment and he'd pushed her down onto a seat and sat opposite, kicking off his shoes.

"You saw them kissing, didn't you?"

Bonnie nodded, mutely. Joe sighed and got up to put his arm around her. He was surprisingly good at the comforting stuff, he always had been. Bonnie secretly wondered if this might mean he was gay – no straight boy she knew was as sensitive as Joe with anything.

She didn't speak until the train had chugged out of the station, "I can't believe it. I was really starting to think he felt the same"

"Well, maybe he does. You know what Victoire's like, she might have thrown herself at him"

"He looked pretty into it, to me"

Joe sighed heavily, "Look, Bonnie, you can win Teddy over. I highly doubt they're actually a couple or anything, it was probably just a spur-of-the-moment thing or a last ditch attempt from Victoire to win him over you. You can still get him to fall in love with you back, I'm sure you can"

"You think so?" Bonnie snivelled, hating the fact that she was crying over something so pathetic. She didn't often cry, but when she did, it was generally in Joe's presence.

"I know so. It's going to work out fine" Joe jumped up suddenly, smiling, "I'll go and find the sweet trolley and get us some chocolate frogs. Yes?"

Bonnie smiled at him damply, "Yes. Thanks, Joe"

"No problem. We're best friends, aren't we?"


	3. Divide

**A/N: Hi! Thank you so much for all the support I've received on this...though a few reviews would be good *smiles pleadingly*. Thank you! I'm going to start doing lyrics like I did with 'My Funny Valentine'. **

_She, she ain't real  
She ain't gon' be able to love you like I will  
She is a stranger  
You and I have history or don't you remember?  
Sure, she's got it all but baby is that really what you want?_

_Bless your soul, you got your head in the clouds_  
_She made a fool out of you and, boy, she's bringing you down – Rumour Has it, Adele._

Bonnie was dreading seeing Victoire, despite Joe's reassurances.

It didn't help that they had shared a dormitory right from day one, along with Trisa Chang and Annabelle Chick, so she had no chance of avoiding Victoire when she went off to unpack her trunk.

Trisa and Annabelle were still at dinner, but Victoire was lounging across her bed, applying lipstick with careful precision.

"I can't believe you kissed Teddy" Bonnie snapped, sick of their silence on the matter of Teddy Lupin, "I can't believe you did that right in front of me"

Victoire did not look as smug as Bonnie had expected – in fact, she was scowling, "You've got nothing to worry about, Bonnie. I kissed him and his response was – I quote – 'Look, Victoire, we're friends, aren't we? Let's not complicate matters'"

Bonnie couldn't help the smile creeping onto her face, which Victoire noticed at once. She stood up, hands on hips, glaring at Bonnie.

"You know, we used to be best friends. You could be a little sympathetic"

"You started this war, Vic. And now we've got to fight it out"

"Well I'm not giving up just because one kiss failed. He's going to fall for me"

"He could just as easily fall for me" Bonnie retorted, clearly affronted, "Please, Victoire, let's just make this a friendly fight"

"Friendly? No, you were right before – this is a war and we'll fight it. Anyway, faced with the choice, I know he'll pick me"

It was a comment Victoire would never have made six months ago; but lately, she'd grown much more competitive and consequently a lot bitchier.

"Oh?" Bonnie turned away from where she was laying her clothes out on the bed, "And why would that be?"

Victoire twirled, smiled, "Look at me. I'm part Veela. I win everytime"

Bonnie couldn't find a way to argue with that. She knew that Victoire was beautiful and she was merely pretty, at best. And she had that vibrant Weasley-red hair that made her stick out like a sore thumb. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to try.

"I'm not giving up, Victoire. I love Teddy"

"I love him too" Victoire looked suddenly forlorn, "Life would have been a lot easier for us if he hadn't been a part of our family"

"I'll make a deal with you" Bonnie offered, holding out her hand, "First one to catch him can keep him, without argument"

Victoire, eyes narrowed, reluctantly shook her cousin's hand, "Okay. And we go back to being friends again once all this is over"

Bonnie couldn't resist a smile at the thought, "Yes. Definitely"

* * *

"Is it really worth all this fighting between you and Victoire? I remember how close the two of you were back in first year"

"That was before you and I became best friends and before the hormones kicked in" Bonnie retorted, sitting cross-legged on Joe's bed in her baggy pyjamas, "Anyway, we'll be friends again one day – once the winner has been established"

"And how do you plan to win him, exactly?" Joe looked sceptical and disapproving, but Bonnie didn't let that bother her. When it came to most of her plans involving Teddy Lupin, Joe was no stranger to expressing disapproval. He was extremely protective of her.

Bonnie fluttered her eyelashes, striking a pose, "I'm going to flirt, of course!"

Joe looked ever more doubtful, "Bon, you flirt with everyone. I don't think Teddy'll notice the distinction"

Bonnie shrieked incredulously, "I do NOT flirt with everyone! I don't flirt with you"

"Yes, you do, but we don't really notice it because we're friends. You know half the school thinks we're a couple, don't you?"

Bonnie cackled with laughter, "Us, a couple? Yeah, right! Oh, Joe, do people really think that?"

Joe didn't answer; he was trying not to show how much her answer had stung. He was getting far too good at hiding his feelings from Bonnie.

"Yeah, people think that. Stupid, aren't they?" he said at last. Bonnie was still chuckling at the thought – he forced himself to laugh with her.

"I do love you, Joe, just not the way I love Teddy. I wish he could see that" she was scraping her hair back into a ponytail as she spoke, not caring what she looked like around Joe. She didn't know it, but Joe privately thought that she looked prettier when she wasn't fussing about how she looked.

"I know" he said eventually, trying to sound sympathetic, "I know. I'm sure he will, sooner or later"

"He'd better, else I'll just have to murder Victoire" she replied with a casual shrug, giving him a Cheshire-cat like grin. Joe grinned back.

"Oh yeah, that's just what we need the year of our NEWTs – you committing murder"

Bonnie shrugged again, "I won't have to take the exams if I'm locked up in Azkaban"

He laughed, and she moved towards him to kiss his cheek, as she did every night before bed.

"I'd better go. I don't want any more crass comments from Trisa about how much time I spend in your room. Night, Jojo"

"Night, Bon"

She left, humming under her breath, and Joe fell back on the bed with a loud sigh, wondering how he would be able to just sit there and watch while his best friend and the love of his life made a complete fool of herself with Teddy Lupin.


	4. Doubts

**A/N: Hi! Now, happy as I am with all the story alerts and favourites and shiz, I would REALLY LOVE SOME REVIEWS . Please? I'll bake you all cake...honest. Thanks for reading and all the support.**

_I need another story  
Something to get off my chest  
My life gets kinda boring  
Need something that i can confess_

_Till all my sleeves are stained red_  
_From all the truth that I've said_  
_Come by it honestly I swear_  
_Thought you saw me wink, no, I've been on the brink, so_

_Tell me what you want to hear_  
_Something that will light those ears_  
_I'm sick of all the insincere_  
_So I'm gonna give all my secrets away_  
_This time_  
_Don't need another perfect lie_  
_Don't care if critics ever jump in line_  
_I'm Gonna give all my secrets away – Secrets, One Republic._

"Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky..." Viria's eyes melted, smile softening her face as she watched Jack's eyes droop in her arms. He looked so like Fred, and slept like him too – legs at right angles with arms above his head. In Fred, she found this an affectionately annoying trait, as it meant she never had any room in the bed, but in her son it was adorable.

She kissed Jack's forehead, soft as a whisper, and laid him carefully down in his cot. She could hear Fred reading Finn 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' in the other room, and padded down the hall to see them.

Finn was tucked snugly in his bed, and his eyes too were closing as Fred read, giving each character a different voice as he had always done. Viria had soon giving up telling their children stories of a night-time when she realised that Fred did it so much better.

"You going to go to sleep now, buddy?" Fred ruffled Finn's hair, and their eldest son nodded sleepily up at his father. Viria swept in, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"Goodnight, darling. Sweet dreams"

Finn was asleep before he could reply, and Fred and Viria stayed still for a few moments, watching him with loving smiles on their faces. Viria extended her hand towards Fred, and his face lit up.

"Jack's asleep?"

To say that their baby boy had sleeping problems was the biggest understatement either of them could think of, and it was very rare that both boys were asleep at the same time. When this happened, the time had to be taken advantage of.

"Yes" Viria grinned, "Jack's asleep"

Fred didn't need any more invitation. He leapt up from Finn's bed and grabbed her in one sweep, lifting her up to carry her towards the bedroom. Viria couldn't help giggling like the schoolgirl she had been when they got together.

"Fred! I can walk, thank you very much!" she was swatting at him like a troublesome fly, but her feeble protests had soon been cut off with a loving kiss that, as always, took her breath away.

Fred didn't let her go until they had reached their bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him and tossing her gently onto the bed. Viria glowed up at him, wrapped her arms around him to draw him near. He was lying on top of her, kissing her neck, hands fumbling with her clothes. She moved him away, rolling so that she was on top of him instead, because she knew that was what he preferred, even if he'd never said it out loud. Her lips trailed over his lips, across his collarbone, down his newly exposed chest.

"Vi..."

She smiled, lips pressed to his skin, "Mmn?"

"Don't use the charm today"

Viria sat up straight, moving her lips away from him, "What? Why not?"

He pulled her back towards him, kissed her himself, unbuttoning her shirt, "I want another baby, Vi"

Viria froze. She suddenly really, _really_ wasn't in the mood anymore. Another baby? Jack was only six months old!

"Um, I – " he cut her off again, but this time not with a kiss.

And all serious thought and doubt flew from Viria's mind.

* * *

"What do you think?" Bonnie twirled, looking appraisingly in the mirror at the adjustments she had made to her school uniform. Joe stared at her, eyebrows raised, half disapproving and half wanting her.

"Too short. McGonagall will kill you"

"I don't think it's too short"

"Well, it is. And what's with the buttons?"

"What about them?"

"I'm pretty sure they never used to strain like that. They look like they're about to pop"

"Oh yeah, cause you've been looking at my boobs. Like you'd remember what the buttons were like"

Actually, he had been, but of course he wasn't going to admit that, "Bon, I'm not that unobservant"

"Fine. I may have made the shirt a little tighter by bringing the buttons across a bit. But only a bit, I swear"

"You wanted to look more _attractive_, Bonnie, not like a slut"

It was Week Two of Bonnie and Victoire's opposing onslaughts on Teddy, and Joe was getting increasingly tired of being Bonnie's advisor on the workings of the male mind.

"Well you would say that, you're as protective as any brother!" Bonnie huffed, clearly irked. Her face fell slightly as she looked back in the mirror, "Do I really look like a slut?"

"I hate to say it, but yes, you do" Joe shrugged. Bonnie sighed, unpinning the skirt and looking forlornly down at her shirt.

"Great. I've got some sewing to do, then" she grumbled, but she smiled at him, "Thanks, Joe. For helping me with all this"

Joe spread his hands as though in surrender, "What else can I do? I'm your best friend"

Bonnie beamed, "Yes, you are" she hugged him tightly, "I still owe you, though"

* * *

"Bonnie, you're acting kind of weird" Teddy frowned, looking down at his childhood companion, "You never used to giggle this much, I'm sure of it"

Bonnie flushed pink. Damn Victoire! If Victoire hadn't been such an expert flirt, subtle yet unrelenting, Bonnie's own ineptness wouldn't have been so apparent. As much as Joe teased her about being a flirt, she really wasn't all that...well, _good_ at it.

"I think I had too much chocolate this morning" she offered up feebly, with a smile as though she was laughing at herself, when, really, she was mortified.

It made Teddy laugh, though, and for that she was relieved, especially when she saw it made Victoire scowl.

The effect of this was kind of ruined, however, when, in her relief, she stuck her elbow in a bowl of scrambled egg.

Joe moved quickly to dab her down, but the damage had already been done. Victoire, laughing prettily, had laid her hand on Teddy's arm and turned him back to her.

Bonnie looked at Joe with fire in her eyes, "I really need to up my game"


	5. Dates

**A/N: Hi! Sorry it's taken a while to update. Thank you so, so much for the reviews, I really appreciate it! Please review this time around and I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

_Word's on the streets and it's on the news:  
I'm not gonna teach him how to dance with you.  
He's got two left feet and he bites my moves.  
I'm not gonna teach him how to dance! dance! dance! dance!  
The second I do, I know we're gonna be through.  
I'm not gonna teach him how to dance with you.  
He don't suspect a thing. I wish he'd get a clue.  
I'm not gonna teach him how to dance! dance! dance! dance! – I'm not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance with you, Glee version._

The school winter dance had been a fixture at Hogwarts since the end of the War. It was an event that everyone got involved in, that everyone talked about, and that everyone attended. It was not a requirement that the students should have dates – it just made it easier to have a readymade partner whenever the slow songs came on. However, every student in Hogwarts was desperate for a date to the winter dance. Some people went with the same person every year right until they left the school; these couples tended to end up married. Some people invited different partners every year; this people usually ended up rather confused about their direction in life.

But every student in the school would be betrayed by their date at some point during their seven years at Hogwarts. That was a fact.

This year, it was the turn of Joe Bell.

"What do you mean?" Joe glowered at Bonnie, voice low as they stirred their cauldrons in Potions class, "We always go together. Always"

"I know, Joe, I know, but only because we never got asked by anyone else! But this year, someone else _has_ asked me...and it's _Teddy_, Joe, I can't say no" her voice was anxious, pleading, eyes big and beseeching him to understand.

"It's not just you he's asked though, is it? He's taking Victoire too, remember?"

"Well, yes, but only because he couldn't choose – "

"How is it fair that he gets to take the pair of you and I'm left with no-one? I can't believe you're going to let him parade around with the two of you on his arm. And you and Victoire will have murdered each other by the end of the night!" Joe was fuming, and rightly so. Bonnie straightened, offended.

"Teddy will not _parade us around_!" she hissed indignantly, "He's taking both of us because he cares about us, not because he wants to show off!"

"I care about you! That's what everyone's going to think. You'll look ridiculous. Plus, he hasn't even told Victoire that he's taking both of you, because he knows that it's wrong of him to do that. He's going to make the pair of you look like complete idiots"

"You obviously don't care all that much, or you'd be supporting me on this. You're supposed to be my best friend!"

"And you're supposed to be mine!"

Their voices had risen unintentionally, and now the whole class was staring at them, several of them sniggering. Joe glared round at all of them, turning red, and glared at Bonnie last of all.

"Fuck this" he lashed out, eyes cold on her face, "You can have your precious date. Just don't expect me to be on board" he grabbed up his bag and left, leaving Bonnie teary-eyed and embarrassed and...alone.

* * *

"Joe?" Bonnie knocked gently on his dormitory door. It was the night of the dance, and she had Joe hadn't spoken for almost a week. Now, she'd heard from his roommate that he wasn't going to the dance, and she knew things had gone too far, "Joe? Joe, please let me in. Please?"

The door swung open, and Joe stood behind it with a dark scowl on his face, dragging his eyes to hers with extreme reluctance, "What do you want, Bonnie?"

"I really want to apologise" she looked at him so sadly with those pretty emerald eyes that he couldn't refuse her no matter how much he wanted to. He ushered her in and she beamed gratefully.

"Oh, Joe, I really am sorry. I should have told you about my plans first to see if you were okay with it, I know I should have, I just got so excited that Teddy was asking me after all these years of waiting that I didn't give it a second thought! I'm so happy that I'm going with him, Joe, I really want you to be happy too. Please come to the dance. I'll still dance with you, you know I will, and it wouldn't be the same without you. Please come?"

He looked at her properly for the first time, and knew just by looking at her that he would follow her wherever the hell she wanted him to. She was wearing a green silk dress that matched her eyes, and she'd straightened her hair so it hung neatly around her face. She wore a silver necklace with a key hanging from it that he remembered buying her for her last birthday, and heeled shoes that bought her up to the perfect height to be kissed...

But he wouldn't be the one kissing her, not if she had her way. Oh no. The honour would be all Teddy Lupin's to take. Sometimes he wished that Teddy Lupin had never been born.

"Okay" he said at last, "Okay, I forgive you. I'll come"

Her face lit up at once, "Thank you! I couldn't imagine a dance without you!" she leapt at him and hugged him, and it was only when he hugged her back that he realised how much he'd missed her over the past view days.

"You look lovely, by the way" he added quickly. Bonnie grinned.

"The dress is my mum's. She wore it to Uncle Bill's wedding" a pause, "Well, go on, go and get your dress robes on! I haven't got all night!"

* * *

Victoire could not believe her ears, "Excuse me? _Excuse me_? You invited us _both_?"

Bonnie was hanging onto Teddy's arm, looking smug. Teddy was floundering, clearly unsure how to respond.

"Well-well, yes, I did! But only because you're both my friends and I couldn't choose between you"

"We always go together" Victoire snapped, "And Bonnie always goes with Joe. That's the _rules_" she turned her glare on Bonnie, "You're not playing fair, you sneaky little slut. You can't just go around changing tradition"

"I think you'll find it wasn't me that changed it" Bonnie replied sweetly, and Victoire whirled back to Teddy.

"Well I won't stand for it! I'm not coming to the dance. You can spend the night with her instead, just like you wanted. I'm done here!" she wanted to make a dramatic exit, but her skin-tight silver fishtail dress only allowed her to waddle along with a scowl deep enough to kill on her face.

"I told you it wouldn't go well" Joe murmured in Bonnie's ear, and she looked sharply at him before turning back to Teddy. He had loosened his hold on her arm and looked as though he was planning on following Victoire. She grabbed his arm again.

"Hey, don't go! You know what our Vicky's like – she'll be back in five minutes as cheerful as always, she never misses a party. It's fine"

Teddy relaxed visibly, "Yeah, you're right. Come on then. Let's dance"


	6. Dance

**A/N: Hi! Anyone noticed how I update so much quicker in the summer? Thanks so much for the reviews, hope you enjoy the chapter.**

_I'm two quarters and a heart down  
And I don't want to forget how your voice sounds  
These words are all I have so I'll write them  
So you need them just to get by_

_Dance, Dance_  
_We're falling apart to half time_  
_Dance, Dance_  
_And these are the lives you'd love to lead_  
_Dance, this is the way they'd love_  
_If they knew how misery loved me – Dance, Dance, Fall Out Boy._

After an hour, Victoire still hadn't turned up. Bonnie couldn't even summon up the energy to _pretend_ to be worried, and, weirdly enough, Teddy didn't seem too worried either.

"I'm really glad you came with me, Bon. We've had a great time" Teddy smiled as they danced. He lightly touched a strand of her red hair, and Bonnie's breath caught in her throat.

"Yeah, I'm glad too. It was worth a break with tradition" her eyes sparkled excitedly as she looked back up at him. Teddy's smile widened into a grin. She'd always been good at making him laugh; he said she got it from her father.

"It certainly was" he agreed, "You look really lovely too. I never knew you could scrub up so well"

Bonnie faked offence, "Hey! Well, I never suspected that you could either. It's a night full of surprises"

The smile fell a little from Bonnie's face as he twirled her. That would have been the perfect opportunity for him to kiss her, and he hadn't. Unless he hadn't felt it was the right moment...but she was sure it had been! Sometimes she wished men were a lot less complicated. She looked over for Joe to see if he had noticed, but he was dancing with Trisa Chang. At least he'd found someone.

As they danced, neither of them noticed that Victoire had re-entered the Great Hall, looking much more presentable and with a thirst for vengeance in her eyes. She scanned the room, looking for Bonnie; she didn't care that they had once been best friends, that girl deserved a slap around the face, and Victoire was going to be the one to give it to her.

She spotted Bonnie and Teddy dancing, the two of them laughing, Bonnie looking irritatingly beautiful. She couldn't very well march onto the dance floor, cram her way through all those people and claw Bonnie's eyes out there and then. That wouldn't have been ladylike, and if there was one thing Fleur had taught her eldest daughter, it was the benefits of being a lady at all times.

She continued to scan the room, not quite sure what she was looking for, and spotted Liam Jordan. He was looking where she had been looking a few moments before, a forlorn expression on his face. Oh, of course – he'd always been gaga for Bonnie. She smiled to herself. Victoire was not and never had been just a pretty face. She made her way over to him, the tightness of her dress making her hips sway. Liam looked startled to see her.

"Oh, hi, Victoire"

"Call me Vicky, please" Victoire smiled sweetly, "That's what all my friends call me" she paused a moment, sculpting her face into something resembling sympathy, "I know you like Bonnie, Liam. It must be really hard for you to see her like this over Teddy"

Liam didn't try to deny it; he just sighed heavily and shrugged, "I always knew she didn't feel the same. I just thought I might be able to work on her a bit. But there are other girls out there, I guess"

Victoire grinned; this was just the opportunity she needed, "Yes, of course there are. And plenty of them are interested" oh, it was a mean lie, but a good one. Just for a second, Victoire wondered why this war with Bonnie had turned her into a complete bitch. She wished it hadn't. But just as this thought crossed her mind, she remembered what she was supposed to be doing, and pulled Liam to her to kiss him. He responded enthusiastically.

"Oh, Victoire!" Bonnie's cheerful voice broke them apart; she and Teddy had come over to get drinks, hands clasped, "We didn't see you come in"

Victoire pulled away from Liam and scrutinised Bonnie closely. She didn't look jealous at all! Her eyes were dancing and she was concealing a smile – badly. Teddy looked a little shocked.

"I didn't know that you and Liam were such good friends" he observed coolly. Victoire frowned. This hadn't happened how she had wanted it to – Bonnie was supposed to have flown off in a jealous rage, and Teddy was supposed to have been jealous enough to kiss her, at least!

"We're not" Victoire said quickly, "I was just trying to comfort him, he was upset – "

"That's some comforting" Teddy snapped. Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"You were trying to make me jealous, more like. Don't you see, Teddy, Vicky was just trying to ruin our evening?"

Victoire grew crimson, "I wasn't, Teddy, honest, I just – "

"I didn't think you could sink so low" Teddy's voice was icy now, and he looked at Victoire as if he barely knew her, "Come on, Bon. Let's go back to dancing. I'm not thirsty anymore"

"Me neither" Bonnie threw Victoire a contemptuous look over her shoulder, triumph sparkling in her eyes, and followed Teddy.

* * *

"Can you say 'Mama', sweetie? Say 'Mama'?" Viria cooed, tickling her youngest son's belly as he lay on the rug, "Come on, Jacky, if you can say 'Dad' then you can say 'Mama"

"Maybe he just loves me more" Fred offered up with a teasing grin, grabbing Jack and cradling the baby in his arms. Finn was trailing along behind him; whenever Fred was home, Finn followed him.

Viria had been feeling pretty awkward around Fred for a while now. Which was ridiculous; he was her husband, and she should have been able to tell him anything. But the idea of telling him that she didn't want a baby was completely alien to her, as well as completely terrifying. So she'd kept quiet. With this goal in mind there had been a _lot_ of sex the past few weeks – even more than usual – which Viria normally wouldn't have minded in the slightest...if they were using the charm. Which they weren't. But she couldn't bring herself to say anything, couldn't let him down. Anyway, nothing had come of it yet, so...she had nothing to worry about. Thus far.

"Yeah, alright" Viria rolled her eyes, standing up to join him, "I carried him, gave birth to him, I feed him, and I look after him all day while you work. If he loves you more then he needs a serious attitude adjustment"

Fred laughed, knowing she didn't mean a word of it, and kissed her, "I love you the most. That's enough, surely?"

"Oh, definitely" she smiled up at him, "I'm going to miss this peace and quiet when Bonnie and Ally come home in a few weeks. You know they're always fighting"

"Oh yes" Fred sighed heavily, "I haven't missed that. I suppose it's an occupational hazard of having so many women in the house"

"There's only three of us, don't be so mean!" she swatted at him, but was careful to miss Jack, who was beaming up at his father and saying 'Dad, Dad, Dad' with delighted insistence. Fred leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

"Yes, and with any luck, we could be getting a fourth soon"

Viria's smile froze in place, but Fred's was bright, and she forced a proper smile for him.

"Yes. Won't that be just lovely?"


	7. Dinner

**A/N: Hi! I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter, which made me sad, but hopefully some will appear for this chapter! Thanks for reading.**

_Then you'll call me a bitch  
And everyone we're with will be embarrassed  
And I won't give a shit_

_My fingertips are holding onto_  
_The cracks in our foundation_  
_And I know that I should let go_  
_But I can't_

_And every time we fight I know it's not right_  
_Every time that you're upset and I smile_  
_I know I should forget_  
_But I can't – Foundations, Kate Nash._

"That was delicious, Viria" George grinned, lounging back in the chair and rubbing his rather full stomach, "I never knew you were such a good cook"

"Fred wouldn't have married me if I wasn't" Viria laughed, scraping round the bowl to catch the last remains of the strawberry parfait. Fred nodded in solemn agreement.

"It's her only good quality, so if she didn't have it then I would have dumped her years ago" he teased. Viria flicked the last little bit of food at him across the table.

"You'll have to come to ours next time" Ginny offered, "It's so quiet with just Lily home"

There was a loud crash and a chorus of giggles from upstairs were Finn, Lily and Roxanne were playing. They all laughed.

"Yeah, sounds real quiet" Angelina grinned, and they all laughed again. The Weasley family as a whole were rather partial to dinner parties, and it was Fred and Viria's turn this time around. They had only invited George, Harry, Ginny and Angelina, however – Viria didn't feel like a big party, which was most unlike her.

"Actually, while you're here, Viria and I have something we want to share with you" Fred reached out across the table and took her hand where it had frozen above the bowl, "Don't we, Vi?"

"Not now, Fred" she mumbled, quickly withdrawing her hand, "Not until something actually happens"

Fred looked crestfallen, "Come on, Vi" ignoring her protests, he continued, smiling at their gathered guests, "Viria and I are trying for another baby"

There was a loud chorus of congratulations and excitement from their guests, but Viria stayed still as stone, looking down at her empty bowl. Ginny noticed, and stopped her eager chatter at once.

"You okay, Vi? You don't look well"

"Maybe she's pregnant already!" George guessed cheerfully. Viria kept her eyes fixed down.

"No, I'm not. And I'm not planning on being pregnant, either"

A heavy silence fell around the table.

"Well Fred can hardly do it on his own!" Harry said at last, clearly trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work. When Viria dragged her eyes up, Fred was staring at her across the table.

"What do you mean, you're not planning on getting pregnant? We've been trying for the last two months!"

"No, we haven't. At least, I haven't. Not really. I – I don't want another baby, Fred" her voice was stiff and she was crimson with embarrassment. Ginny leapt up from the table.

"Come on, help me clear the table, will you?" she nudged Harry hard with her pointy elbow and he jumped up at once, helping her scoop up the bowls with unnecessary clatter. Angelina yanked George up from the table and followed. Fred and Viria were left alone, staring at each other. Fred's face was hard, angry.

"What the hell, Vi? You said you did!"

"No, I didn't! I never said that. I was just trying to pluck up the courage to tell you"

"Did you have to do it now? Why didn't you say something right away?" Fred was glaring at her, "You didn't have to do that in front of everyone"

"If you hadn't said anything, I wouldn't have had to! I couldn't let you just carry on chattering on about it when it isn't what I want"

"Oh, and what about what I want? You think that because _you_ don't want another baby it's fair not to give _me_ one?"

Angry puzzlement flickered across Viria's face, "You can't have a baby if one of you doesn't want it! Especially if it's the mother"

"Why not? I'd be the kid's father, don't I get just as much say in it as you do?"

"Of course you don't!" Viria spluttered, "You don't have to deal with it like I would! You don't have to throw up every morning and carry it around until your back feels like it's going to break and then give birth to it, which, by the way, is the most agonisingly painful process _in the world_!"

"Don't be ridiculous. You're being fucking selfish, Viria!"

Viria tensed, and he saw her grit her teeth and realised that there were a lot of words she was holding back. She stood up from the table, the chair falling back with a crash.

"_How dare you_" she hissed, "How dare you call me selfish! I've sacrificed a lot of stuff over the years, Fred, more than you realise. Don't you _dare_ call me selfish"

"You are being selfish!" Fred was so furious he couldn't even take in the comic effect of the four faces peering around the kitchen door, all looking rather awkward yet clearly absorbed in the row.

"Fuck off, Fred" she growled, and before anyone could think to stop her she had walked towards the door and stormed straight out of it, slamming it behind her.

Jack started wailing upstairs. Fred, moving mechanically, didn't go after his wife. Instead, ignoring the gawps of the long-forgotten dinner guests, he walked upstairs to go comfort his son.

Ginny and Angelina shared a worried glance. Ginny reached out and grabbed her coat, "It's snowing outside. I'd better go after her"

"We'll all go home" said Harry quickly, "They'll understand. Meet you there"

Ginny nodded, kissed his cheek, and departed into the blizzard. There were sudden footsteps on the stairs as they were all reaching for their coats, and Finn, Roxanne and Lily appeared. Harry grabbed Lily and bundled her into a coat.

"Come on, sweetheart, we need to go home" he said gently. George did the same with Lily, leaving Finn looking up at Angelina in puzzlement.

"Where's Mummy?" he asked plaintively, frowning. Angelina looked sadly at the forlorn little boy.

"She had to go and get something from the shops" George improvised, "She'll be back in a minute. Go and see your Daddy, okay? Tell him we said goodbye"

"Okay" Finn beamed at them and went dashing off upstairs. The three adults looked at each other.

"Well, that was eventful" said Harry at last, "Don't forget, dinner at ours next week. And maybe we won't invite Fred and Viria"


	8. Devised

A/N: Hi! Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, sorry it's been a bit of a wait between updates. Hope you like the chapter!

_Cause if I had to save someone, I'd still save you  
And if I had to pray for someone, I'd pray for you_

_Cause you know we are made for each other_  
_Can't take that away, made for each other_  
_Like sunshine and day, made for each other, I'm here to stay_  
_Cause you know we are made for each other_  
_I'm made for you, made for each other_  
_Like stars and the moon, made for each other_  
_We'll see it through (Cause you know we are made) – Made, The Wanted._

"You'll visit over the holidays?" Bonnie couldn't help the clingy, whining note creeping into her voice as she looked up at her boyfriend of two weeks and three days.

Teddy Lupin grinned down at her, "Course I will. And we'll have Christmas together at your Nana and Grandad's, as always. I can't wait for you to see what I've bought you"

Bonnie squealed, clapped her hands in a way that was extremely reminiscent of her mother, "Ooh! Neither can I. Will I like it?"

"Sure you will" Teddy said firmly. He kissed her lightly on the lips. Bonnie's head was spinning, dizzy with happiness. Then she heard someone call her and moved sharply away from Teddy in case it was her father.

It was Joe. There was an expression on his face that Bonnie hadn't seen before and couldn't quite identify. She smiled at him, felt Teddy's light hand on her arm and kiss on her cheek before he walked away and left her with Joe. She smiled after him dreamily.

"Have you seen your parents?" Joe asked, his voice betraying nothing. A flicker of confusion crossed Bonnie's face.

"Um, no, not yet. Why?" she paused, eyes widening, "Oh God, did Dad see me kissing Teddy? I knew it, I knew he – "

"No" Joe looked wary, "They're not talking to each other. They're standing about a mile apart and not even looking at each other. Finn looks bloody confused about who he's supposed to be standing with. Your Aunt Ginny said they've had a huge row...something about a baby?"

"About Jack?" Bonnie frowned, "But Mum and Dad don't argue. They just don't. They bicker a lot, but..." she squinted across the platform and saw them. They were talking to Ally, faces bright, but when they happened to look at each other their faces grew stony and cold. They _were_ standing far apart, Viria cradling Jack and Fred gripping Finn's hand as if to stop the young boy from walking away to join his mother. Joe saw the puzzlement in Bonnie's eyes, then the hurt. She turned to him, looking determined.

"I don't know what's going on with them – seems like I'll have to get Ginny to fill me in – but it's not going to last, not if I can help it. Those two are made for each other and I'll be damned if I see them forget that even for a second. Will you come with me?"

Now it was Joe's turn to look confused, "Come with you? Where?"

"Go ask your Mum if you can stay with me for a couple of days and you can help me sort this mess out. Please?"

"I don't think Teddy would like that" Joe said, a cold, brittle edge to his voice.

Bonnie appeared surprised, "Teddy? Why wouldn't he like it?" understanding dawned and she laughed, squeezing Joe's hand, "Oh! He knows you're my best friend. He knows you're not a threat. Don't worry about that" her eyes were big and pleading, "Come on, JoJo. Please?"

"Fine" Joe agreed, rolling his eyes, "You sure do know how to flatter a man, Bonnie Viola Weasley"

Bonnie laughed again, "Oh I know. Now go and ask her, go. Meet me by Mum and Dad"

She made her way over to her family, wheels on the trunk rattling across the platform. Viria's face lit up at once.

"My Bonnie!" she cried, giving Bonnie a fierce, if one-armed hug, "Oh, I've missed you so much!" she glowered at Fred over her shoulder, "I've had no-one to gang up on your father with me and he's been a complete prick – "

"Mum!" Bonnie exclaimed, clearly alarmed by the venom in her mother's tone. Viria's face softened.

"Sorry, sweetheart, I shouldn't have said that. Say hello to Jack" she backtracked quickly. Bonnie plastered a smile on her face and cooed for her baby brother, who cried, 'Bo, Bo!' with enthusiasm.

Finn launched at her legs when she tried to get to her father, and she ruffled his red hair with a smile.

"Hey, Finn. You okay, buddy?"

"Mummy and Daddy have been fighting" Finn whispered, tugging her hand so that she would crouch to his level and he could whisper in her ear, "I don't like it"

Bonnie's heart melted at the concern in her baby brother's voice, "Don't worry. I'm here now. I'll fix it, okay? Promise"

Finn beamed at her and let go, allowing Bonnie to fling herself at Fred. He hugged her tightly, kissed her hair.

"Bon-bon, I've missed you"

"I missed you too, Dad" Bonnie drew away from him, "Now, what's this about you being a prick?"

"Bonnie! Language!" Fred cried sternly, but she could see a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, "Don't worry about it. She's overreacting. She's done that before now"

"Have not!" Viria hissed, "And for God's sake, stop it, we're in a bloody train station"

Bonnie couldn't deny how relieved she felt when Joe appeared by her side, as it gave her an excuse to change the subject.

"Joe's coming to stay with us for a few days" she said quickly, "Is that okay?"

Viria exchanged a glance with Fred, out of habit, and looked quickly away as if he'd hit her, "Yeah. That's fine. Nice to have you, Joe"

* * *

Bonnie locked the living room door behind her parents, winked at Joe, and ran, him close behind her. They had cooked dinner as though for the whole family, but had set it out for two and left Fred and Viria to talk it out. It was the only way they could think of to get the pair to make up.

Viria heard their footsteps and turned back to the table, looking at the pile of food, prepared with love. Fred was at the other end of the table, looking rather stunned.

"She really is your daughter" said Viria at last, tartly, "Only you would think to try something this outlandish"

Fred looked at her, "Tell me why" he said, and he sounded hurt more than angry, "Tell me why you don't want another baby"

"It's not that I don't!" she cried in protest, "Maybe we will have another, one day. I just don't want one now?"

"But why not?" she could tell he was struggling to understand. Feeling her anger evaporate for the first time in over a fortnight, she moved slowly towards him and pressed his hands between her own.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, "If I'd have just explained myself in the first place, this whole goddamn mess..." her voice trailed off, "I – I like what we did with the kids. There's five years between Bonnie and Ally, four between Ally and Finn, 7 and a bit between Finn and Jack. I _like_ that. It gave us a chance to bond with them before the next baby came along. I really like that. I just don't want to have another baby when Jack's not even a year old! I want a bigger age gap between our kids. It stops them fighting, too, there's less of a rivalry"

Fred was quiet for a long time, but when he looked into her emerald green eyes Viria knew that he understood, that everything was okay, that she had gotten what she wanted.

"I understand" he said at last, "God, I wish you'd said something. I hate fighting with you. You're damn scary when you're angry"

Viria laughed, a watery little giggle because she suddenly had tears in her eyes, "I hate fighting with you too. I thought you hated me"

"Like I could ever hate you! Fred sounded scandalised by the thought, "I love you, Vi, always have done. Anyway, didn't you know we're made for each other?"

Bonnie and Joe had tiptoed back downstairs, and Fred and Viria heard the loud smack of their palms as they high-fived behind the door. They both laughed.

"Bonnie!"


	9. Deserted

A/N: Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews, I really appreciate it. Please review and thank you for reading.

_And it's all in my head  
But she's touching his chest now  
He takes off her dress now  
Let me go_

_And I just can't look it's killing me_  
_And taking control_

_Jealousy, turning saints into the sea_  
_Swimming through sick lullabies_  
_Choking on your alibis_

_But it's just the price I pay_  
_Destiny is calling me_  
_Open up my eager eyes_  
_Cause I'm Mr. Brightside – Mr Brightside, The Killers._

"I'm glad you're all happy and cute again, but really, this is getting a bit sickening" Bonnie grimaced, glaring over at her parents. She was sitting with Joe at the table, playing cards, while her mother and father were getting rather too handsy for her liking over on the sofa. Viria peeped her head over the back of the sofa and grinned.

"Sorry, Bon-Bon. We'll leave you two in peace" she rose from the seat with the natural elegance that only Viria seemed to possess and kissed her daughter's forehead, ruffled Joe's hair as though he were her kid too, "Night, kids. Is Ally in bed?"

"God only knows what she's doing up in that pit of hers" Bonnie shrugged in reply; her relationship with Ally was tense, to say the least. They definitely had moments where they loved each other, but these were pretty rare.

Fred laughed, "We'll take that as a yes, then. And don't worry, we'll listen out for Jack. Night" he hugged Bonnie, as always, before following his giggling wife upstairs. Bonnie made puking noises in the back of her throat.

"It's like they're on honeymoon still" she complained, "They make me feel sick"

"I think it's sweet" Joe disagreed, laying down his cards, "I hope I'm still that in love with whoever I marry after the amount of years your parents have been together"

"I guess" Bonnie shrugged again, a habit picked up from her father that had never quite left her, "You'd think differently if it was your mum with some guy though"

"Yeah" Joe nodded absently, "Yeah, I probably would" he gestured to the cards, "I think that means I win"

"Aw, come on! You've won every game tonight!" Bonnie whined, flinging her cards down on the table.

"You're such a sore loser"

"Am not! I just like winning"

"Exactly! It's just a game, Bon"

"I know"

"Then why are you pouting?"

"I'm _not_!"

Their bickering was interrupted by a knock at the door. Bonnie frowned over at Teddy.

"I do hope that's not Aunt Ginny come to see Mum. Or Uncle George come to visit Dad. Because they won't have much luck" Bonnie tied the sash of her dressing gown to cover up her cute stripy pyjamas and walked over to the door. Joe was reshuffling the cards, waiting for her.

"Teddy!" Bonnie shrieked at the sight of a familiar aqua-haired figure on her doorstep, "You didn't tell me you were coming! I'm so happy to see you!"

She jumped up into his arms and Teddy laughed as he hugged her. Joe could not see them, but he heard them kiss. He kept shuffling the cards.

"Come in, come in! Come on" Bonnie was dragging Teddy into the house, her face lit up like it was Christmas day all over again, and his grin stretched from ear to ear, "Look, I'm wearing the necklace you bought me!"

"Oh yeah! It looks good on you, I thought it wou – " Teddy stopped, catching sight of Joe at the table, "Oh. Hello. Joe. I didn't know you were here"

"We always stay at one another's houses after Christmas. Plus Joe helped me get Mum and Dad back together before Christmas. Isn't that great?" Bonnie was nattering excitedly, not noticing the glares that Teddy and Joe were throwing each other over her shoulder.

"Yeah. Sure. Look, Bonnie, can we talk? In private?" Teddy threw a sharp glance at Joe. Joe glowered back. Bonnie looked confused.

"Yeah, of course. Come out into the garden, I love walking around it in the snow" grabbing her jacket, she drew Teddy outside, sticking her thumbs up at Joe as she left. Joe, abandoning the cards on the table, moved towards the back door that Bonnie had left slightly ajar so he could hear and see them. The cold air coming through the gap stung his face, but he didn't care. He had to know what they were like when they were alone together, and what the hell Teddy's problem was with him.

"Why is Joe staying with you?" Teddy asked abruptly, glaring at Bonnie. Joe saw her flinch.

"I – I told you, we always stay with each other. He's my best friend"

"How come he gets to stay with you and I don't?"

"My Dad would have a little bit of problem with you staying, because we're dating and he knows what would happen. But he knows that Joe and I are just friends, so that stuff doesn't bother him so much. That's all. You don't seriously think that Joe's a threat to us, do you?"

"He's in love with you"

Joe's fists clenched. How dare Teddy tell Bonnie that when it had been his secret to tell! But Bonnie clearly didn't believe her boyfriend; she threw her head back and laughed.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ted! Nothing is going on between me and Joe, I swear"

"I'm telling you, Bonnie, he loves you"

"He loves me like a sister, and I love him like a brother. Nothing is going on there and nothing ever will"

It was Joe's turn to flinch. He felt the sting of her words like a slap in the face, but he carried on listening.

"I wish the two of you weren't so close, that's all"

"Look, I'll tell him he can't stay here anymore if that's what you want. He'll understand, he always does" Joe could hear how much Bonnie was trying to placate Teddy; he saw her stand on her tiptoes to kiss him. When she pulled away, their breath was puffing out little white clouds in the air. Teddy's face had softened into a smile.

"Anyway" said Bonnie, and her voice was so quiet now that Teddy had to strain to hear her, "Joe's not the one I'm going to have sex with tonight, is he?"

This time, Joe actually staggered. He felt like she'd punched him in the stomach. She couldn't have said anything worse, and oh God, the images in his head...

"Bon?! You're serious?"

"Yeah, I am. I've told you how long I've been in love with you for, and I guess it's all been leading up to this moment. Joe can go and share with Finn, can't kick him out in the middle of the night, and we can have my room. Mum and Dad will never know – " Teddy cut her off with a kiss filled with heat and passion. Joe could hardly watch.

He moved away from the back door and ran upstairs, grabbing his back and flinging everything he had bought with him into it, blood boiling, images still rushing through his mind. He could taste jealousy and hatred in his mouth.

By the time he got downstairs, they were still kissing in the garden. Teddy had his hand under Bonnie's coat and Joe did not want to think about where that hand was. He didn't leave a note.

It was only when he was halfway down the road, snow pelting him in the face, that he realised Teddy hadn't asked Bonnie the most important question.

"_Are you sure you're ready?"_

And he hated Teddy just that little bit more.


	10. Desire

**A/N: Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews for the last chapter – I just want to give poor Joe a hug, and yet I'm the one putting all this crap on him. Poor Joe. Anyway, please review and thank you for reading.**

_And I thrown it all away  
Watched you fall into his arms again  
And I thrown it all away  
Watched you fall, now – This, Ed Sheeran._

Bonnie's letter arrived at Joe's house the very next day.

_Why did you leave? I was worried when you were just gone. You could have left a note. I really didn't want you to go. I need to talk to you, anyway. Sorry if you felt pushed out – I'm guessing that's why you left. Miss you, Jojo. Write back, FAST. Or I'll come to your house and hex you myself. _

_Bon xx_

Joe wanted to reply, but he didn't know quite what to say. There was still a tight ball of hurt in his chest that she would kick him out of her house so easily, that it seemed so effortless for her to pretend he was nothing. And he still had that horrible bitter taste in his mouth whenever the images floated unannounced into his head. Which they did pretty often.

He did reply in the end. A nice, empty letter, full of apologies for leaving and polite inquiries about how she was. Not the way they usually talked to each other at all, but it would have to do.

He was dreading going back to school.

* * *

Bonnie couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so happy. Or so she thought. But lately, since the night Teddy had come to visit her, something had been niggling at the back of her mind that she couldn't quite place.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she hadn't actually slept with him.

They'd kissed and stuff, but when it came down to it Bonnie realised that she just wasn't ready. Something just didn't feel right. And Teddy had been really understanding and nice about it. She wondered if maybe he thought that it wasn't quite right too, because he hadn't been too disappointed when she refused.

After that unsuccessful attempt at intimacy, Teddy had left, and Bonnie had rushed downstairs to find Joe, needing a hug or at the very least an explanation of why she felt so scared of sleeping with her own boyfriend.

And he hadn't been there.

It was the first time in Bonnie's life that Joe hadn't been there when she needed him. It had terrified her.

And she still hadn't slept with Teddy.

* * *

Bonnie giggled, the giggle of her mother coming out of her own mouth. She and Teddy were sitting together at breakfast, talking in low voices, fingers entwined. Rose was sitting the other side of Bonnie, whom she worshipped, but even she looked a bit sickened by the display. She kept glancing over to the Slytherin table where Scorpius sat. She wanted to talk to Bonnie about the feeling she got whenever Scorpius looked at her, but Bonnie was too caught up in Teddy. Rose was getting so desperate for advice that she was even thinking of talking to Victoire about it, though Victoire had never been much help with any of Rose's other problems.

At that present moment, Victoire was studiously avoiding looking at Teddy and Bonnie, slapping mounds of butter onto her toast even though she didn't really feel like eating it. Her eyes slid down the table, seeking out one of her cousins to talk to. Normally she would have spoken to Trisa Chang, but Trisa was in deep conversation with Amy Whitfield and didn't look like she wanted to be interrupted.

Then Victoire caught sight of Joe.

She'd known that he was in love with Bonnie for years, probably longer than he had, and now she had all the evidence she could ever need. He was sitting opposite Bonnie, as he so often did, hands clenched so tightly around his knife that Victoire wasn't sure if he would bend the metal or stab Teddy with it first. He looked like he hadn't slept properly in a while, and whenever Bonnie broke away from her conversation with Teddy to smile and ask him something, the smile he plastered on his face to answer her was the fakest Victoire had ever seen. And she was the _Queen_ of fake smiles.

The two Third Year boys sitting between her and Joe got up to queue up for the trip into Hogsmeade, and before she could warn herself that speaking to Joe would only make her more miserable, Victoire had covered the distance between them and was sitting next to him, the plate of heavily buttered toast long forgotten.

"You coming into Hogsmeade with us, Joe?" Bonnie asked, rising from her seat with a cheerful smile on her face. But, if Victoire wasn't very much mistaken, there was a pleading gleam in her eyes and the hint of a beg in her voice. She didn't want to be alone with Teddy. Or she just didn't want to be without Joe. One or the other. But either way, Victoire could see that her cousin and ex best friend was not happy. She might look like a pretty airhead, but her powers of observation were second to none.

She opened her mouth to say something, but Joe spoke over her.

"No thanks" he said, smiling at Bonnie but with his eyes fixed on Teddy, full of hatred, "I've got a load of homework to do, you're always way more ahead than I am. I still haven't done Sinistra's essay for Astronomy"

Bonnie laughed, thought there was something a little off-key about it, "Trust you. Okay, I'll see you for dinner. I can help you with the essay if you still haven't finished"

"Thanks, Bon" there was a lot of feeling in Joe's voice, which Bonnie seemed to catch. A flicker of puzzlement danced across her face, then she was gone, dragged along with Teddy's hand in hers.

Victoire turned to Joe, "I know you love her. It must be hard for you"

Joe groaned, "Everyone seems to see it except her!"

"Maybe you should have told her" Victoire offered, suddenly feeling a little bit brighter and a lot more hungry, because she wasn't the only one who'd made the mistake of hiding her feelings until it was too late. She tore a chunk out of a croissant.

"Maybe you should have told Teddy that you love him" Joe retorted sharply, clearly sick of thinking about what might have been. The croissant suddenly seemed very unappetising, turning to mush in Victoire's mouth.

"Yeah" she said, gulping it down with effort, "Yeah, maybe I should have. I wish I had"

"I wish I had, too" Joe dropped his cutlery with a clatter onto the plate that made poor Rose jump. Joe smiled apologetically at her and she turned back to wherever she was looking.

"Look, I need to get out. Sorry" he stood up sharply from the table, "I can't think about it anymore, I just can't"

"Sometimes it helps" said Victoire gently, and Joe nodded slightly.

He didn't tell her to go away when she followed him.

* * *

"How long have you loved her?" Victoire asked curiously as they sat on a bench outside, looking at the grey sludge that now passed for snow.

Joe pulled at a thread on his jeans, "I don't know. A long time"

"What was the moment?" Victoire asked, nudging him to try and summon a smile, "There's always a moment when you suddenly realise that you're in love and you have been for a long time. What was the moment?"

"It's stupid" Joe mumbled, "You tell me yours first"

"Okay" if there was one thing Victoire wasn't, it was shy, "We were about six years old, I think, and Bonnie was sick so me and Teddy were outside by ourselves, building a snowman. I wanted the snowman to have clothes so I took off all the stuff keeping me warm, my jacket and scarf and gloves and hat, and just stood there shivering in the pretty little dress I'd got from my Nana for Christmas. And Teddy saw how cold I was, and he started taking all my stuff back off the snowman, every item I'd put on it, and I was saying 'No, no, the snowman will be cold!'. But Teddy carried on doing it, and once I had all my stuff back on and was moaning because I didn't want the snowman to be cold, Teddy took off everything that was keeping him warm, his jacket and scarf and gloves and hat. And he put them on the snowman. I could see how cold he was and how much he was shaking, but he just said 'There. He won't be cold anymore' and put his arm around me and took me inside for hot chocolate. Then I decided he was my hero and I loved him. I've loved him ever since"

She stopped, smiling, and looked at Joe, "See, that was really stupid. Yours can't be that dumb. Tell me"

Joe looked down at the floor, "We were in Third Year, so we'd been friends for a while, and we slipped down to the common room in the middle of the night so we could put ink on the lenses of Jeremy Strang's binoculars, because he'd got them for Astronomy and he was so boastful and proud of them. We just thought it would be fun. And when she came down to meet me she was wearing this tiny little slip of a nightdress, and she just looked amazing. I'd never noticed she was beautiful before. We had a fight with the ink and it was just this split second where she was looking at me and laughing and she had ink on her cheek and her hand was on my face so she could smear ink all over it and I just felt so...complete. Happy. As if life without Bonnie would just be dull and dark and lifeless. Because she's like the sun in my life and I couldn't be without her"

Joe fell silent, wondering if Victoire might laugh at his sentimentality, but she didn't. Her face had softened into something both sad and warm.

"I guess we both lose" she said quietely, and there were tears in her eyes. Joe nodded. He felt kind of choked too.

"Yeah" he agreed, "Yeah, I guess we do"

And then she had turned to him for comfort, and he had turned to her, and suddenly their lips met, something neither of them had expected or really wanted, but in that moment they both felt so alone, and to be close, to be close with someone was just what they needed –

"Joe?"

"Vicky?"

Bonnie's voice, confused, plaintive and weirdly hurt. And Teddy's, filled with an anger and despair that couldn't quite be contained.

They broke apart.


	11. Discovery

**A/N: Woo! Two updates in two days – how very unlike me! Thanks so much for the reviews, please leave some more and thank you for reading!**

_Look at the stars  
Look how they shine for you  
And everything you do  
Yeah, they were all yellow – Yellow, Coldplay._

Viria groaned slightly as she heaved herself up from her position by the toilet bowl. She still felt queasy, but she didn't think she was actually going to vomit again. Which is always a bonus.

She knew what it meant. Of course she did – she'd taken the test last night, after all. She just hadn't told Fred yet.

She hadn't been too happy, when it came out positive, because Jack was still so young and Fred would have won and she always got really sick in the first three months or so. But then she thought about it a little. She sat on the edge of the bathtub with the test in her hands and thought about it.

And a smile crept on her face.

And she realised that she did kind of want another baby after all.

* * *

Fred and Finn were playing Quidditch in the garden when she went to find her husband. Fred was an excellent Beater, always had been, but he was missing on purpose to make Finn look good. That was one of the many things Viria loved about Fred; he wanted their children to be confident, to know that they could do whatever they wanted if they tried hard enough. He wanted them to follow their dreams.

"Oi!" she hollered, feeling Jack jump slightly in her arms, "Fred, you've taken him way too high up! OI! Don't pretend you can't hear me! FINN! GET DOWN HERE!"

"Aw, Mu-um!" Finn whined, swooping down on the broom to meet his mother, Fred looking sheepish just behind him, "I'm fine, honest! Dad was watching me"

"It's far too high for you" Viria insisted sharply, "Now run inside, go on. I made lemonade and cheese sandwiches"

Two of Finn's favourite things! He beamed, dropping the broomstick onto the grass and racing towards the house without a second thought. Fred chuckled ruefully.

"He doesn't take much distracting, does he?" he hesitated, "Do you really think it was too high? He's a good flier, Vi, I was watching him – "

"I know you were" Viria grinned, "I just needed a word with you, that's all"

"Oh, did you?" Fred took Jack, who was reaching out pudgy hands towards his father and grinned back, "Go on then. What's the big secret?"

Jack chuckled loudly as Fred tickled his belly. Viria watched her son smile with love in her eyes before looking back at Fred.

"I'm pregnant"

"Oh my God!" Fred yelped, his grin growing so that it looked somewhat ridiculously big for his face, "Merlin, that's amazing, Vi, that's wonderful – " he stopped, eyes suddenly wary, "You are happy...aren't you?"

Viria grinned back, "Yeah, I'm happy. I'm really, really happy"

Fred grabbed her close, almost crushing Jack between them, and kissed her fiercely, eyes shining with mirth, "I can't wait to tell everyone! We should invite them all over, make an announcement – "

"We need to talk to Finn first. Sit him down, like we did before" Viria cautioned, though his enthusiasm was infectious; even Jack looked delighted.

"Yeah, yeah, course, but we should still have a get-together, just a bit of a do, shame Bon and Ally won't be around to – " he stopped again, eyes bright with eagerness this time, "Bonnie and Ally!"

"I'll write to Bonnie. Ally never reads the letters – at least, she never replies. I do hope she grows out of this phase before the baby's born"

* * *

The letter arrived the day after Bonnie had seen Joe kissing Victoire.

She'd been feeling strange since then, even though Joe and Victoire instantly said it had been a complete mistake and she could see they meant it. But why had they kissed in the first place? And why, for Merlin's sake, did it make her feel so strange?! She felt sort of...empty. She and Joe were talking just as normal, but something felt different between them. She was kind of angry that he'd kissed Victoire. But _why_? She was dating Teddy, she _loved _Teddy, and there had never been anything between her and Joe. Ever. But Teddy seemed angry too, with Victoire, and she didn't quite know why. Both of them had reacted strangely to seeing their best friends kissing each other, but she still couldn't work it out.

As she was thinking this, staring into a pot of marmalade that she hadn't bothered using, the letter dropped down onto her empty plate. Joe looked over at her with an amiable smile.

"News from home?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Unless it's Aunt Ginny telling me they've been fighting again" she tore open the letter quickly, suddenly desperate to hear her mother's voice behind the elegant script or her father's laugh through his scrawl. She wanted them, and she hadn't felt homesick in a long time. Things were getting pretty weird.

_Dearest Bonnie,_

_I hope you're well – you sounded so happy in your last letter when you were talking about Teddy. I know you've always liked him and I'm glad the two of you are finally together. How's Neville – Professor Longbottom, I mean? Give him our love – make sure you mention me and your father; else he might get the wrong idea! Tell him to write to me with advice on how to raise a Mandrake; I can't remember a thing from Herbology and your Nana Weasley just decided to give me one from her garden. I love her to pieces but she can be nutty at times._

_Right, that's my rambling done. I am writing for a reason, Bon-Bon, I promise. I have some news for you, which I hope you'll be happy about, and which I need you to tell Ally because she never replies to my letters so I'm not entirely sure that she actually reads them. How is she, by the way? Is she well? I hope she is. I do fret about her. Well, I fret about both of you. Sorry, sorry, to the point now, I promise! I'm pregnant again. It's a little sooner than I might have liked after having Jack, but of course we're both delighted (and Finn's taken it well), so I hope you and Ally will be pleased. I think I worked out it'll be due next Summer, so your birthdays shouldn't clash, which is good. That would be expensive!_

_We love you very much, Bonnie, and miss you. Tell Ally that we love her too and wish she would write._

_All my love (and your father's too!)_

_Mum xxxx_

And without quite knowing why, just knowing that it wasn't at all to do with the news she'd just received but maybe a little bit to do with the fact that her mother loved her so much, Bonnie burst into tears.


	12. Difficult

**A/N: Hi ! Wow, I think it's actually been over a week since I updated, which is pretty rare for me and this story. Really hope you enjoy it and thank you so much for the reviews!**

_I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet  
And with this feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now_

_Kiss me like you wanna be loved_  
_You wanna be loved_  
_You wanna be loved_  
_This feels like falling in love_  
_Falling in love_  
_We're falling in love_

_Yeah I've been feeling everything from hate to love to lust_  
_From lust to truth I guess that's how I know you – Kiss Me, Ed Sheeran._

"Bonnie, what's wrong with you?" Teddy looked over at her, his skin stained green from the light falling through the tree above them, "You've been acting so weird lately. Is something wrong? Is it me?"

"No, no, it's not you!" Bonnie protested, but she couldn't quite look him in the eye. She twisted a blade of grass through her fingers, tying it in knots. Teddy took it from her and turned her face to look at him.

"Is it about you not wanting to have sex? Because I told you, it's fine, whenever you're ready – "

"No, it's not that. It's...I don't know" she shrugged, hoping to avoid discussing it further, but Teddy was insistent.

"What is it then?" his face suddenly darkened, "Is it Joe?"

"What?" she looked up so quickly she heard her neck crack, "Why would it be Joe?"

"This all started that day we saw him and...Victoire – " he winced slightly, "- Kissing. That's when you started acting like this. Is it something to do with that?"

"I don't know. Sort of. I don't know why, though, it just made me feel kind of strange, to see them like that"

"Oh my God. Bonnie, are you jealous of Victoire?" he sounded suddenly angry. Bonnie gaped at him, face colouring.

"What?! What the Hell? Why would I be jealous of Victoire?"

"Because you're in love with Joe as much as he is with you"

"Of course I'm not! That's ridiculous"

"It's why you won't have sex with me. Because you're in love with Joe" Teddy snapped. Bonnie cried out, rising to her feet.

"Don't be ridiculous! I won't have sex with you because I don't feel ready for that yet, and that's all down to me! It's nothing to do with anyone else, and it's especially not anything to do with Joe. Don't be such a jerk"

"I'm not trying to make you angry! I'm just telling you what I think"

"Well you're wrong. I don't feel that way about Joe and he doesn't feel that way about me"

"There's something between the two of you, you know there is. Everyone can see it" he sounded less angry, more sad.

"Teddy, Joe is my _best friend_. That's it. He's been my best friend since First Year and that won't change anytime soon. Yes, I do love him, but not in the way you're thinking! I've told you before, he's like my brother" even as she was saying the words she was doubting herself, and she was starting to feel confused all over again.

"I'll think about it tomorrow" she mumbled to herself, remembering a movie she'd seen where the character had said just that everytime something went wrong. The woman in that movie had always reminded her of her mother.

"What was that?" Teddy asked sharply, not catching it. She met his eyes once again, reluctantly.

"Nothing" tears suddenly welled in her eyes, "Oh God, I can't think about it tomorrow. I can't keep putting it off"

Teddy looked confused, "Putting what off?"

"I'm not telling you the truth. Well, I sort of am. At least, I think I am. I don't know what's the truth anymore and what's not" she looked right in his eyes, shaking as she did so, "Teddy, I'm confused about my feelings. I don't know what I feel, but something definitely changed that moment we saw Vic and Joe kissing. I don't know what it was, but something did. And I'm just so, so confused. And I could really use your help right now because, first and foremost, you're my friend and I need you"

Teddy wanted to yell at her. He wanted to scream at her for being confused, he wanted to take it out on her because _he _was confused too, because something had changed inside _him_ when he saw Victoire kissing someone else, and _he_ hadn't quite worked out what it was either. But he didn't do any of those things, maybe because he understood how Bonnie felt while no-one else seemed to. Instead, he pulled her close to him and hugged her, chin resting on her red curls of hair. She clung to him as though he could save her from how confused she was.

They stayed that way for a long time, and when they pulled apart, her tears had dried.

"Teddy, I think we should take a break. I'm sorry, but I need to work out what's going on, and I think...I think I just need to forget that I even have a boyfriend. I'm so sorry"

Teddy was annoyed with himself for feeling relieved, "It's okay, Bonnie. It's okay. I understand. I think you're right"

"Oh, good!" she smiled, for the first time that afternoon, and kissed his cheek rather than his lips, "Thank you, Teddy"

"Thank you for being honest with me" he countered, smiling with her, "I owe you for that. And as soon as you've worked it out..."

"You'll be the first to know" she promised.

* * *

"Congratulations!" Viria winced, holding the phone away from her ear. She hated the phone that Fred had insisted on having almost as much as she hated the fact that her parents lived over in France.

"Thanks, Maman" she said heavily. Her relationship with her mother Giselle was still strained, though she had tried to make it work a bit better. So much for that.

"I am so pleased! And we haven't even seen little Jack yet! How is he?"

"He's great. Can I speak t-"

"Does he look like you or Fred?"

"He looks like Fred. Maman, I – "

"Ah, bless his dear heart. And how is Finn? And the girls? Did they get the money we sent?"

"Yes, Mum, they were very grateful, they did send letters. Can I – "

"Still, we shall see them properly this Christmas"

"Yes, I'm greatly looking forward to it. Can I speak to Papa now, _please_?"

"Yes, of course, darling. No need to be rude. I'll fetch him for you. And then I must talk to you about bringing the children for a holiday in Paris – "

She was cut off abruptly by Frank, Viria's father, who had clearly snatched the phone and sounded rather amused, "Hello? Can you still hear me, or has your mother's jabbering deafened you once and for all?"

"I wish. No, I can hear you. Hi, Papa"

"Hello, poppet. Judging by your mother's shrieking I gather you have some good news for me?"

"I do. I was hoping you'd get to the phone first. You need to answer it quicker in future"

"I'll try. Now come on, do tell"

"I'm pregnant again"

"Oh Viria, sweetheart, what wonderful news! Congratulations. Is Fred pleased?"

"Ecstatic"

"And the children?"

"Delighted"

"And you?"

It was so like her father to ask that question. Viria looked over at Fred, who was curled up on the other sofa reading a story to Finn. She smiled.

"Not at first, but now it's happened yes, I couldn't be happier"

"So what do you think you're going to give me this time? Another strapping grandson or a pretty granddaughter?"

Viria smiled, lowering her voice so Finn wouldn't hear what she and Fred had already discussed, "It's too early to tell, really, but I think it's a girl. I'm going to call her Isabella"

"Lovely. And if it's a boy? Because you were wrong with Bonnie and Jack"

"Yes, I was, wasn't I? I'd forgotten that. I think Frank Arthur"

Frank was speechless for a moment, "Oh, love. Thank you. It would be an honour"

Viria couldn't keep the smile out of her voice, "I knew you'd be pleased. Sorry, Papa, I'd better go. Finn's about to go to bed"

"Alright, love. Call again soon"

"Yes, of course. Bye, Papa"

"Bye, Viria. And give our love to Fred"

Viria put down the phone and looked over at her husband of sixteen years. A smile passed between them. She could not have been more content.


	13. Decided

**A/N: Hi! I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter, so they'd be really appreciated for this one. Thanks for reading and please review!**

_He is sensible and so incredible  
And all my single friends are jealous  
He says everything I need to hear and it's like  
I couldn't ask for anything better_

_He opens up my door and I get into his car_  
_And he says, you look beautiful tonight_  
_And I feel perfectly fine – The Way I Loved You, Taylor Swift._

"Bon? Bonnie!" Joe's voice jerked Bonnie out of her reverie and back into her present Potions lesson, where her cauldron was bubbling over with something green and unidentifiable. Potions had never been her best lesson, especially not when she wasn't really concentrating.

"Oh crap! What do I do?" she looked to Joe, as she always did when in a panic, and Joe laughed, chucking a pile of Gurdyroots into the cauldron.

"You have to do that quickly, otherwise it bubbles over like yours is doing" the mixture slowly turned back to a simmering apple-green, "There. Much better"

Bonnie heaved a sigh of relief, "Thanks. I was daydreaming"

"You've been doing a lot of that lately" Joe looked concerned, "Is it because of you and Teddy?"

She tried not to think about the glitter of what looked like triumphant joy that had been in Joe's eyes when she told him about her and Teddy's 'break'. She didn't want to think about what it might mean, because it made her stomach squirm and her head get all confused again.

"No. Not really. I do feel bad about that" she confessed, "I didn't want to break it off with him"

She'd told Joe it was because they'd been arguing a lot, and he didn't question it, but he did look unnecessarily pleased whenever she bought it up. Which made her feel weird. Stop thinking about it, Bonnie, stop thinking...

"What's done is done" Joe shrugged, but he gave her a quick, comforting hug as he said it, "You're going to be fine. And at least the two of you are still friends"

"Yeah" Bonnie looked over to where Teddy and Victoire were working on another table. They were laughing – Victoire had some of the green potion smeared across her cheek, "And he looks happy enough"

"Exactly" Joe agreed heartily, "He sure does"

And suddenly, Bonnie understood. Bonnie understood everything. She understood why Teddy had been happy for them to have a break, why he'd been angry with Victoire for kissing Joe, why right at that moment he was looking down at Victoire and laughing with pure joy in his eyes.

And she understood why the thought of Joe kissing Victoire had made her angry, and why when Teddy had accused her of loving Joe she felt so strange, and why she now felt weirdly awkward around Joe even though he was her best friend in the world.

She turned to look at Joe – her face must have been showing some of the shock she felt – but the bell had gone and Joe was scooping up his bag and cleaning out their cauldrons with a cheerful, brisk efficiency. She realised she loved the way his hair fell slightly over his eyes, and how soft and warm his brown eyes were, and the slant of his jaw, and his smile, and the sound of his laugh and the way he had always really, really cared about what she was thinking...

She loved him. All of him.

"Joe – " she started to tell him, she couldn't keep it in, but Joe interrupted with a smile on his face.

"Sorry, Bon, can it wait? I have to meet Professor Sinistra about the Astronomy stuff she set me. I'll see you in Care of Magical Creatures?"

Bonnie stared at him for a few long moments. Then she nodded.

"Okay. See you later" she mumbled, and he dashed off as though he couldn't wait to see his least favourite teacher in the world, which was weird.

Bonnie stayed frozen for a few more minutes before realising what she had to do. Grabbing her bag, she ran to catch up with Teddy and Victoire, who were still smiling and talking earnestly.

"Teddy! Teddy, wait! Something important has come up, I really need to talk to you" she had her hand on his sleeve, and she saw the slight reluctance to leave Victoire in his eyes. It didn't hurt her one bit, which was what made her realise that, of course, she was right.

"Okay, sure" Teddy turned back to Victoire with a smile, "Meet you for lunch in five minutes?"

"Okay" Victoire smiled back, but threw a glance full of hatred at Bonnie. She obviously thought Bonnie was trying to win Teddy back. Oh well. She'd understand soon enough.

"What is it, Bonnie?" Teddy asked kindly, "You look pale. Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. More than fine!" a smile suddenly spread across her face, lighting it up, "Teddy, I've worked it out! Why me and you were so confused. Why we didn't work together. Why neither of us could bring ourselves to..." she lowered her voice, "...You know"

Teddy nodded, looking intrigued and slightly startled, "Go on"

"You have to listen to me with an open mind, because I know I'm right. Teddy, you're in love with Victoire"

Teddy gaped, "What?"

"No, hear me out! Of course you love her! You always have. You only got caught between the two of us because you knew I liked you too and that made things complicated. But it's always been Victoire. You two need to be together!"

Teddy stared at her, still agog, "I think you might be right, Bonnie. I mean, I'd been thinking it, but I was confused because of us, and I wasn't sure I should say anything..."

"No, no, you should have! Oh, Teddy, I'm so glad you love her! Because she loves you, you know, more than I did. Well, in a different way, anyway. She really does love you" she gave him a little shove, still beaming, "Go! Go and tell her, right now!"

Teddy made to leave, but turned back, looking puzzled, "Why are you so happy?"

She grinned at him, eyes sparkling, "Because I love Joe! You knew it before I did, but it IS true, no matter what I thought!"

Teddy laughed, both of them exhilarated, "And he loves you too! You have to go and tell him, right now. We'll both be brave"

"Oh, I'm going. You just try and stop me!" and suddenly Bonnie was running, running to find Joe and tell him that she loved him back after all these years.


	14. Dashing

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, I'm glad you were supportive of Bonnie's choice! Please review and thank you for reading.**

_Christine:  
Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime  
Say the word and I will follow you_

_Together:_  
_Share each day with me, each night, each morning_

_Christine:_  
_Say you love me_

_Raul:_  
_You know I do_

_Together:_  
_Love me_  
_That's all I ask of you_

_Anywhere you go, let me go too_  
_Love me_  
_That's all I ask of you – All I ask of you, The Phantom of the Opera._

Bonnie dashed up to the Astronomy Tower as fast as her legs could carry her, skidding to a halt outside the door when she realised that Professor Sinistra was alone, and Joe nowhere to be seen.

"Bonnie?" Professor Sinistra looked up from the papers on her desk and smiled at the breathless, beaming student, "Can I help you?"

"Is Joe here? He said he had to come up and ask you something"

"No" Professor Sinistra looked puzzled, "No, he hasn't been to see me. You'll have to look elsewhere"

A flash of confusion crossed Bonnie's face, "Oh. Okay. I must have misheard. Thanks for your help!"

And she was running again, heart thudding, pushing through any number of students on their break who glowered at her and told her to mind where she was going. She didn't much care.

She skidded outside; it was sunny, and she thought that maybe Joe was relaxing in the sunshine. Shielding her eyes against the light, Bonnie squinted until she saw her best friend. He was sitting alone, head bent over a book, though he looked distracted. Bonnie's grin reappeared. She ran towards him.

"Joe! _Joe!_"

Joe looked up, and smiled when he saw her, though she had to confess he didn't look as pleased as she had hoped.

"Hey, Bon. What's wrong with you? You look exhausted"

"I've been running round the entire school, looking for you" she panted, holding onto a stitch in her side, "I really need to talk to you"

Joe frowned slightly, "Um, okay. Talk"

She flopped down beside him, still gasping for breath. Joe looked amused.

"You really need to exercise more"

"Oh, shut up" she nudged him with her elbow, but found herself blushing when he looked at her.

"You look _really_ red. You sure you're okay?"

Bonnie swallowed audibly, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine"

"So" Joe put down the book and stretched out on the grass, arms behind his head, "What did you have to tell me?"

Bonnie rolled onto her belly so she could look right in his eyes – though that made it somewhat harder to speak, not easier.

"It's kind of awkward" she mumbled. Joe pulled a face.

"Are you about to complain about your periods again? Because seriously, Bonnie, I put up with a lot, but that was the most unpleasant conversation I've ever had"

"No, no!" Bonnie grew crimson, "It's not about that!"

"Thank God" he looked genuinely relieved, "Well? We've discussed pretty much everything else. I can handle anything you're about to tell me, I would imagine"

Bonnie fixed on his brown eyes, because their warmth tended to calm her. It worked this time.

"Joe, you know me and Teddy broke up?"

"Yeah..."

"He's dating Victoire now"

"Oh!" Joe didn't sound as sympathetic as he should have, "Is he? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I encouraged him to ask her out"

"Right...why? I'm lost"

"Because I realised that I didn't care about Teddy in that way. I don't feel the way I thought I felt. Not about him, at least"

"You mean...you don't love him?" there was hope in Joe's eyes. Bonnie felt her heart lift a little.

"No, I don't. I love someone else. It was so stupid of me not to realise it sooner, because I've loved him for such a long time, and I only figured it out today"

"Did you?" the question was barely audible – if Bonnie hadn't been expecting it, she wouldn't have heard it at all.

"Yeah, I did" she took a deep breath, "This is really hard. But Joe, I love you. I really love you, and I wish I'd been able to tell you sooner"

She waited with bated breath for his reply, but Joe didn't say anything. He sat up, slowly, leaning against the tree. Then, with a groan that sounded none too promising, he buried his head in his hands.

"Oh God" his voice was muffled but clearly despairing, "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that. No idea"

Bonnie beamed with pure delight, but the smile fell from her face when she realised he still wasn't looking at her. And he didn't sound at all happy.

"Then what's the problem? If you feel the same...Joe?"

"Hey, Joe!" with a cheerful greeting and a skip in her step, Bonnie's roommate, Trisa Chang, appeared beside them, "Hi, Bonnie. Everything okay?"

Bonnie hid her impatience with a smile, "Yeah, fine thanks, Trisa. Did you want something?"

Trisa opened her mouth to reply, but it was Joe that spoke for her, raising his head to look at Bonnie. There was an agony in his eyes that pierced Bonnie to her very core.

"Trisa's here because this is where we meet up every break"

Bonnie frowned, "So that's why we haven't been hanging around together at break?" she looked up to where Trisa was standing, "What does that have to do with Trisa? I don't understand"

"Bonnie, Trisa and I are dating. We've been dating secretly for the past two months"

"Oh my God!" Bonnie flew to her feet, hand clapped over her mouth, "Oh my _God_! Why didn't you _tell_ me?!"

"You were so caught up in Teddy, and we were trying to keep it quiet, I just thought – "

"Just thought what?! That you'd hide the details of your love life from your best friend?"

"I should go" Trisa mumbled uncomfortably. Bonnie rounded on her, blazing.

"Yes, you bloody well should go! I thought we were friends, and you didn't tell me either? What is WRONG with you two?!"

"Bonnie, please" Joe's voice was plaintive, "I'm so sorry, if I'd have known that you were going to say that, I would never ha – "

"Say what?" Trisa looked suspicious, "What did you say, Bonnie?"

"It doesn't matter" Joe said quickly. Tears sprang to Bonnie's eyes.

"It mattered to me" she whispered, so low that Trisa couldn't hear them, "Everyone told me you were in love with me. That's what gave me the courage to tell you how I feel. Well, now I see that was the stupidest decision I've ever made"

"Bonnie, I do love you" his voice was low too, urgent, "But I can't just ditch Trisa just because you've finally come around! I waited long enough!"

"Oh, so it's my fault? Because I didn't realise?" Bonnie glowered at him, "You're an arse, Joe Bell, and I don't want to speak to you ever again"


	15. Down

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for the reviewing – I'm glad everyone seems to feel as sorry for poor Bonnie as I do. Please review and thank you for reading!**

_Old friend, why are you so shy?  
Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light..._

_Never mind, I'll find someone like you_  
_I wish nothing but the best for you, too_  
_Don't forget me, I begged, I remember you said_  
_Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead_  
_Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead – Someone like you, Adele._

Bonnie needed help.

She would have gone to Teddy and Victoire, because surely her and Victoire could be friends again now, but when she went to find them, they were so busy kissing that she would have felt kind of creepy interrupting them. Failing them, she would have gone to Trisa, but seeing as Trisa was part of the problem, she could hardly seek comfort there. She might have gone to Rose, but Rose was too young, and she had problems of her own – Bonnie could see that her little cousin was absolutely head over heels for Scorpius Malfoy.

Joe was the best comforter she knew. He'd always been there for her. Always. But they couldn't possibly stay friends now, and somehow that hurt more than the fact that he didn't love her. Well, he did love her -at least, he had said he did – but he couldn't dump Trisa for her. She sort of understood that, but it didn't make things any better.

So she went to the only person she had left.

She went to her sister.

Ally was in her pyjamas when Bonnie knocked on the door of her sister's dormitory, but it looked like she was alone.

"The Sunshine Twins absent, then?" Bonnie queried, referring to Molly and Lucy. But Ally took one look at her sister's tearstained face and red eyes, and didn't feel the need to answer the question. They had a tumultuous relationship, always had done, but when it came down to it, Bonnie and Ally needed each other.

Ally pulled Bonnie inside and shut the door behind them, "Bonnie! What happened?"

"I – I'm sorry" Bonnie snivelled, and promptly burst into a fresh round of tears, "I had nowhere else to go. Oh, Ally, everything's gone so completely wrong!"

And Bonnie told her story, from the beginning of her relationship with Teddy, and with frequent pauses to allow noisy sobs to escape. Ally sat with her arms around her elder sister, offered tissues, and murmured words of comfort. She was surprisingly good at it.

"So that's it" Bonnie wept when she'd finished, "I can't be friends with him and know he's dating Trisa. I can't do it. Not when I love him this much"

"I always thought you loved him" Ally said gently, "I wish I'd said something now"

"I wish Mum was here" Bonnie whimpered.

"It's just a week until Easter, Bonnie. Just a week! You can do that!" Ally cried, trying to sound cheerfully for her sister, "Honest, Bon, you're going to be fine"

* * *

Joe spent the next week trying to talk to Bonnie. She ignored him, and when she wasn't doing that, she burst into tears everytime he came near her. Ally had spoken to Teddy and Victoire, and they sat either side of Bonnie like permanent jailers in every lesson. Victoire was happy to resume her old friendship with Bonnie now that the old rivalry was dead, and Bonnie was glad of it. She needed Victoire more than ever.

The Easter holidays arrived, much to Bonnie's relief, even if she would have to spend most of it crying and studying. When she saw her parents on the platform, a glow filled her that she had never felt before. The relief of seeing her parents was overwhelming, the relief of being away from Joe was enough to put a huge smile on her face. She ran into Viria's arms.

"Ally finally wrote to us" Viria murmured into Bonnie's hair, "She's a good sister. She wanted to make sure we knew what had happened. Your father's fuming. But it turns out Ally's a good kid after all" she drew back to look at her daughter, "How are you, really, Bon-Bon?"

The ever-ready tears had sprung to Bonnie's eyes again, but there was a smile on her face, "I'm just so, so happy to see you"

Viria's eyes glistened too, "Oh, darling. I never wanted anyone to break your heart"

"Me neither" Bonnie murmured, then forced a smile, "But you look great! You're glowing"

Viria laughed, "Thank you! I don't feel great, but at least the facade still exists"

Ally and Bonnie swapped, so it was Ally being enveloped in Viria's arms and Bonnie who stood on tiptoe to kiss her father and hug him without crushing baby Jack.

"Hey, Jacky!" she cooed, "Hey, Dad"

"Bon-Bon. You okay?" he looked concerned, but Fred had never been good with emotions, and he also looked slightly uncomfortable.

Bonnie grinned, the grin she had only for her father, "I'm better now, Dad"

"Good. Home makes everything better. You ready to go?"

Bonnie grabbed Finn in a squeezing hug and let him hold her hand as they made to leave the platform. She looked over her shoulder and saw Joe with his mother, Katie Bell. They were both watching her. Joe looked pained. Bonnie's stomach twisted, and she turned quickly away.

"Yes. I can't wait"

* * *

They had only been home for two days when it happened.

Bonnie wandered around the house, feeling better than she had in ages but still restless and downhearted. She threw herself into studying, getting Fred to practise spells with her while Viria rested. She even spent a bit of time with Ally, the pair of them thinking up games to keep Finn amused.

It was a Monday. Viria had gone upstairs a few moments before, leaving Bonnie playing with Jack on the mat. It was late evening. Fred was cleaning up the dinner stuff.

Then they heard a piercing scream from overhead. Bonnie left Jack, springing to her feet and dashing towards the stairs. Something crashed in the kitchen as Fred followed. Ally's bedroom door thudded against the wall as she flung it open.

"FRED!" Viria yelled, "Fred!"

Fred pushed past Bonnie, almost knocking her over, but they reached the doorway of Viria and Fred's bedroom at the same time. Ally was standing in the middle of the room, frozen. Viria was curled up on the bed, clutching her stomach and moaning in pain.

The sheets were covered in blood.


	16. Devastated

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for the reviews and sorry to have shocked you all – I thought I'd better update quickly. This chapter contains a sensitive theme (which gives away way too much but I think I ought to warn you). Please review and thank you for reading. And get some tissues. Now.**

_What can you do when your good isn't good enough?  
When all that you touch tumbles down?  
'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things  
I just want to fix it somehow  
But how many times will it take?  
Oh, how many times will it take for me  
To get it right?  
To get it right? – Get it Right, Glee Cast._

Viria looked up at Fred from the edge of their bed. They had just returned from the hospital, and she had never looked so pale nor wept so much in all her life. Her eyes were pink and damp.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, voice barely above a breath, "I'm sorry I lost it, Fred. I'm sorry"

Fred did not move any closer to her. He, too, was chalky white, his eyes large and dark in a face drawn tight with pain. He ran his fingers through his hair, a sure sign of strain and anxiety.

"You don't have to say that" he said at last, "You didn't want it in the first place"

Viria gasped, all the breath rushing out of her lungs in a way that made her feel giddy. It felt as though he'd hit her. He might as well have – his words were worse than any physical blow could have been.

"Don't" she whimpered, fighting back further tears, "Don't you dare say that to me. Don't"

Fred's eyes met hers, briefly, before he turned away.

"I'm sorry" he replied, but his voice was cool, expressionless, and she wasn't sure he meant it. He left the room, leaving Viria sitting on the edge of the bed, sobbing her heart out.

* * *

It had been left to Bonnie to keep things together. When Fred gathered Viria up into his arms and Apparated with her straight to the hospital, Bonnie had calmed down Ally and Finn and rocked Jack until he stopped whining for his mother. Bonnie had changed the bloodstained sheets, with Ally's help. Bonnie had paced the living room floor waiting for news while her siblings were in bed. Bonnie had stayed up all night, biting her nails and taking care of Jack. Bonnie had answered the phone when her father called and told her that her baby brother or sister was gone from the world without ever having entered it. Bonnie had cried but made breakfast for her siblings anyway. Bonnie had called her family and told them all the news, and accepted their condolences.

Now that her mother and father had returned, and didn't seem much inclined to grieve together, it was Bonnie who called her Aunt Ginny, her mother's best friend, and her Uncle George, her father's best friend. If they wouldn't talk to each other, maybe they'd talk to their friends, she decided.

When Ginny arrived, she enveloped Bonnie in a hug that smelt of familiar flowery perfume. She had tears in her eyes, but she forced a smile for Finn, who hugged her legs.

"You okay looking after the kids? I could get Harry to come over"

"I'm fine" Bonnie murmured faintly, though she'd had no sleep and was fretting uncontrollably over Fred and Viria's reactions to the news. Ginny kissed her cheek.

"Good girl. Well done for being so brave about all of this" she hesitated, "Is Viria upstairs?"

"Yes, in their room"

"And your father?"

"In the garden shed" Bonnie hugged Jack tighter to her, "Do you think they'll be okay?"

"They'll be fine. It's natural for them to grieve – it's probably even natural for them to blame each other a little bit. I wouldn't worry, Bonnie" she patted her niece's shoulder and disappeared upstairs, face tense.

Next, Bonnie answered the door to her Uncle George, who also hugged her fiercely and kissed her cheek.

"You're doing so well, Bonnie. Where is he?"

"The garden shed" Bonnie replied, words laden with meaning. George grimaced.

"Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear. That's not good. Right. I'll see what I can do. Well done, Bonnie"

He left too, and Bonnie looked over at Ally, who was playing a board game with Finn. Ally smiled at her.

"It's going to be okay, Bon"

"Thanks, Al" Bonnie flashed a smile in return, bouncing Jack on her hip, "Please tell me you want to swap brothers for half an hour? He's getting heavy"

* * *

"Viria?" Ginny knocked lightly before poking her head around the bedroom door. Viria was sitting on the bed, sheets wrapped around her, green eyes fixed on something invisible in their air. Concern instantly puckered Ginny's brow.

"Viria, I'm so sorry" she sat down beside her best friend, wrapping an arm about her and squeezing tightly, "I'm so, so sorry. You didn't deserve this"

"Fred's right" Viria's voice was empty, "It's my fault. I didn't want it, not at first, so now I'm being punished for not wanting it. That's what's happened. It's my fault the baby's dead"

"Darling, no, don't be ridiculous! No!" Ginny pulled Viria's head down to rest on her shoulder, and Viria buried her damp face into Ginny's scarlet jumper, "Viria, this is NOT your fault. Not by any stretch of the imagination. You did everything right, the pair of you, and you don't deserve it. Do NOT blame yourself"

"Fred blames me"

"No, he doesn't!" Ginny protested, "He loves you! He's just angry and upset and scared, just the same as you are. Neither of you expected this to happen, and the shock's making him react in...well, not in a nice way. But he'll realise he's wrong and he'll say sorry to you, when he's ready"

Viria's expression grew distant again; she laid a hand on her belly, a wistful smile curving her lips.

"I was so sure she was a girl. I was going to call her Isabella, you know. Isabella Nymphadora, because I thought it would be nice. I liked that name. So did Fred" her lips trembled and a fat tear fell from her eye and rolled down her cheek, "Guess I won't get to use it, now"

Tears welled up in Ginny's own eyes, but she summoned the strength to wipe Viria's tears away with her own hands, to smile comfortingly and hold her friend's hand, "You can have other children, Viria, you and Fred. I don't think you two will stop having children until it's humanly impossible for you to have them. You were meant to have a large family. You already have four gorgeous, wonderful children. This is just a blip. It may feel awful now, of course it does, but it's just a bump in the road, I promise"

Viria looked vaguely comforted, but still tearful. Ginny gave her a gentle, prompting smile.

"Speaking of your gorgeous children, Bonnie has been an absolute star. She let us all know, she made sure the house was ready for you to come back to, and I'm pretty sure she didn't sleep all night because she was looking after Jack. She needs you to be her Mum again, when you're ready, Viria. It's only been one day, but she's exhausted and any fool could see she just wants to lay in bed and have a good cry"

"I wish we hadn't had to put all this on her" Viria sniffled, "When she's so upset about Joe. Oh God, Gin. Will it really get better?"

"Of course" she nudged Viria with her elbow, "Doesn't it always?"

* * *

George peered doubtfully around the shed door. Fred wasn't smashing things up, as George had expected him to be. Nor was he sitting in silence, staring at the wall, as George had also expected him to be.

He was crying.

George could count on one hand the number of times he had seen his twin cry, and the last time had been many years ago. But here Fred was, head buried in his hands, shoulders heaving with sobs. George slipped into the shed quietely, letting the door shut with a soft click. Fred looked up, but when he saw who it was, he returned to his weeping.

"Go away" his voice was ragged and hoarse, "I want to be alone"

"No you don't, mate" George's voice was soft and kind, "You hate being alone"

"I'm so angry"

"I know" George sat down and patted his brother uncomfortably on the back, "But it's going to get better. You and Viria, you can still have kids"

"She might not want anymore. She didn't want this one"

"You shouldn't say that. She never said she didn't want it – only that she didn't want it that soon. And I've never seen a brighter face than hers on the day you told us all. She loved this baby just as much as you did, and it's hurting her just as much as you, I'm sure"

"I know it's not her fault. Of course I do. I was just angry, I should never have said that to her. And her _face_, George, her bloody _face_! It was like I'd stabbed her. I wish I hadn't said anything" he looked at George with red eyes, "Truth is, really, I need her. I always did need her. I just don't want to burden her, not now when she's so upset and I'm so upset and – "

George chucked wryly, "Fred, you two are as bad as each other. Go to her. Now. If you do that, everything will be fine. I promise"

"You really think it'll get better?"

"Sure I do. Doesn't it always?"

* * *

That night, after Ginny and George had left and Viria had taken Jack from Bonnie with a feeble but grateful smile, Fred returned to the house.

Viria was sitting in their bed, rocking Jack, singing quietely to him. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she was smiling at her sleeping son with all the love she possessed. When Fred entered the room, she looked up, and her smile slipped slightly to reveal a wary pleasure in his presence.

"You okay?" she asked anxiously. Fred smiled weakly back at her.

"Okay as I can be" he reached over to take Jack from her, "I'll put him to bed for you"

"Okay. Thanks"

When he returned to the room, Viria was still sitting up, waiting for him. She was pleating the sheet between her fingertips, a furrow between her eyebrows. Fred moved towards her and climbed into the bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her. The tension flowed out of her and she sank against him, clearly relieved.

"I know that it wasn't your fault, Vi"

Viria smiled a little against his chest, "I know you do. It wasn't your fault, either"

"Good" he kissed her forehead, "I'll hug you until you fall asleep, okay?"

"Okay" she replied, voice very small, "I'm still sorry, Fred"

"Don't apologise anymore. I love you"

"I love you, too"


	17. Delighted

**A/N: Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews! I promise, this chapter will make up for how depressing the last one was. Hope you enjoy it and please review! **

_Romeo save me, they try to tell me how to feel  
This love is difficult, but it's real  
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess  
It's a love story baby just say yes  
Oh oh_

_I got tired of waiting_  
_Wondering if you were ever coming around_  
_My faith in you is fading_  
_When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said_

_Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone_  
_I keep waiting for you but you never come_  
_Is this in my head? I don't know what to think_  
_He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring_

_And said, marry me Juliet_  
_You'll never have to be alone_  
_I love you and that's all I really know_  
_I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress_  
_It's a love story baby just say yes – Love Story, Taylor Swift._

Bonnie was relieved to see that her parents, though still tearful and weak, appeared to be beginning the long healing process. She was also relieved to see that they were relying on each other to give them support for that process. Sometimes Viria would suddenly reach out to grasp Fred's hand, or Fred would lean over and press a light kiss to her lips, and that was when Bonnie knew that they were thinking about the lost baby.

She was still depressed. She couldn't stop thinking about Joe, no matter how much anyone tried to console her. Victoire and Teddy even visited with a lopsided cake that they'd made together to cheer her up, but seeing their happiness only made Bonnie feel more alone. When she wasn't thinking about Joe, she was thinking about the baby, about how awful her parents must feel. Added to all that the stress of trying to revise for her upcoming NEWT exams and Bonnie wasn't exactly in a good way, nor was she fun to be around. Even Ally stopped trying to talk to her eventually, extending kindness by plonking a cup of tea next to Bonnie's revision notes rather than by talking.

One evening, Bonnie was sitting at the dining table revising, picking at the remains of the chocolate Easter egg from Nana Molly. Ally, Fred and Finn were playing a raucous game of Exploding Snap, Jack was toddling around in his baby walker, shrieking with delight, and Viria was curled up with her book, though her eyes kept flicking over the top of the page to watch Jack. The radio warbled on in the background.

The knock came at the door just as Bonnie closed her Potions book and had moved on to revising Astronomy. She looked over, but no-one else seemed inclined to get out of their seats, and, heaving a sigh, she went to the hall herself.

She opened the door, expecting to see one of her many Aunts and Uncles, and was greeted with a very different sight.

"Joe!"

Joe smiled, but not his usual cheeky grin, "Hey, Bon. Can I come in?"

Bonnie hesitated, "I don't think I can stand another argument, Joe. If you've come here to try and convince me to be your friend again, I wouldn't bother"

"It's not that. Please, let me in"

There was a note of desperation in his voice that melted Bonnie's heart. She reluctantly opened the door wider and gestured for him to come in.

Viria looked up when he entered the living room, and instead of smiling her usual delighted smile, she gave Joe a steady glare that made him colour up. Bonnie flushed with embarrassment.

"Mum, it's okay" she mumbled in feeble protest, but Viria didn't seem likely to let up soon. Bonnie turned to Joe.

"We can talk in my room. Come on"

"Wait a minute" Fred had risen from his seat, and was giving Joe a glare of his own, "If you hurt my girl again, Joe Bell, I'll have words with your mother"

Bonnie had a mad urge to laugh. Joe grew redder.

"I won't, sir" he said quickly – he had never called Fred 'sir' in his life, "I never meant to hurt her in the first place"

"Hmn" Fred didn't look convinced. Bonnie grabbed Joe's hand to pull him away, then let go quickly as she felt a bolt of electricity run through her veins, causing her heart to thump loudly. Joe, too, looked awkward at the gesture, but followed her upstairs.

She sat on the bed, and though he usually would have joined her, he instead sat on the chair at her desk. Her heart sank. She didn't feel that that boded well.

"I heard what happened" Joe said softly after a few minutes of terse silence, "I'm so sorry, Bonnie, for you and for your parents"

"It's okay. We're managing" she looked down at the floor to hide the tears that now gleamed in her eyes, "Well, it's not okay, but we are managing"

"I wish I could have been around to help you"

"I think you would have been more of a hindrance than a help, the way I'm feeling about you at the moment" Bonnie whispered, half hoping he wouldn't have heard the remark. But he did, and when she looked up there was pain in his eyes.

"I came here to tell you something. Something very important"

"If it's that you still want to be friends, then I don't want to hear it. I can't deal with it, Joe, I can't"

"I dealt with it when you were with Teddy" Joe snapped, suddenly flaring up, "How do you think I felt?"

She looked up at him with wide eyes, "That doesn't count. You don't feel the same about me"

"Of course I do! I told you that I did!"

"If you did, you would have broken up with Trisa" her lips trembled, "And you didn't. You chose her"

"Bonnie, I have broken up with Trisa" his voice was soft again, anger abating, "That's what I came here to tell you. I broke up with her"

Bonnie fixed her eyes on his, "You did? Why?"

Joe laughed, reaching out to grab her hands. Bonnie tried to pull away, but he held on tightly, and for the first time since he arrived he wore a true smile on his face.

"Because it's you that I love. I was stupid to turn down Trisa out of honour when I don't feel about her the way I feel about you. I've been in love with you since Third Year, and it's never changed. I've waited for such a long time for you to love me and now it's finally here I think I've blown it. Have I, Bonnie? Have I blown my chances?" his face was bright and earnest, but there was a fear in his eyes that Bonnie had not seen before. She smiled, though tears had begun to fall over her freckled cheeks.

"You really do love me?"

"Of course I do. God, Bonnie, didn't you notice?" he grinned, "I tried so hard to hide it, but I always thought it was a bit too obvious"

"No, it wasn't" she paused, "I love you too, Joe. I wish I'd realised it earlier"

"Oh, so do I! It would have saved me a lot of pain and suffering" his face grew suddenly serious, "So you want to be with me, Bon? Please say yes"

Bonnie grinned at him, "Yes. Yes, Joe, I want to be with you"

And when he kissed her, Bonnie thought that she had never been so happy in her life as she was right at that moment.


	18. Decisions

**A/N: Hi! I know it's a quick update, but I'm in a bit of a frenzy because the story is - *sob* - nearly over! Only three chapters left including this one. I'm really going to miss the story. Hope you are too. Thank you so much for the reviews, please review this chapter too! This chapter contains some...suggestive stuff. **

_I have died everyday  
Waiting for you  
Darlin' don't be afraid,  
I have loved you for a  
Thousand years  
I'll love you for a  
Thousand more_

_And all along I believed_  
_I would find you_  
_Time has brought_  
_Your heart to me_  
_I have loved you for a_  
_Thousand years_  
_I'll love you for a_  
_Thousand more – A Thousand Years, Christina Perri._

Viria and Fred, delighted with the turn of events, invited Joe to stay with them as he had done so many times before. Joe agreed, wanting only to be near Bonnie for the rest of his life. One look at her told him that she felt the same. But there was one new rule that Joe had to abide by, one that was not entirely welcome.

"You'll have to sleep downstairs" Fred said sternly, "I mean it, Joe. I like you a lot and you're a nice boy but I won't have you sleeping in Bonnie's room anymore"

"Joe's always slept in my room!" Bonnie protested. The fact that she had protested at all said enough, both to her father and to Joe. Fred's face grew rather pale and tense, while Joe gave her a sidelong glance, one eyebrow raise. She smiled timidly at him, cheeks colouring. Fred scowled.

"That was when the two of you were just friends" he retorted, "Don't argue, Bonnie. It's final"

Viria looked amused, but she was nodding along with Fred, "Yes, dear, don't argue. Why don't you go and fetch me some blankets to make this old sofa a bit more comfortable?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, huffing loudly, but did as her mother asked. As she left the room, Viria's eyes were twinkling. She knew that if her daughter was as like her as she had always thought, a flight of stairs wouldn't keep her from getting what she wanted.

* * *

Bonnie was leaning against Joe on the sofa as soon as her parents had gone to bed, his hands stroking her hair, the two of them sharing a bowl of popcorn that she'd sneaked from the kitchen.

"What was all that about earlier?" Joe asked, keeping his voice low in fear of Fred hearing them talk, "With your Dad?"

Bonnie blushed, and ducked behind her red curly hair so that he couldn't see it, "What do you mean?"

Joe chuckled, twining a ringlet of hair around his finger, "You know exactly what I mean. Why were you so adamant that I should be allowed to stay in your room? It's perfectly reasonable for your Dad to be more worried now that we're going out"

Bonnie shrugged, "I don't know. I just thought it seemed a bit silly, that's all. You've always been in there before"

"That was different. And there's something you're not telling me" he pushed her hair back from her face so he could look at her properly, "You can't be in love with someone for over four years and not be able to tell when they're keeping something back. Come on, Bon. Spill"

Bonnie's face felt hot when she replied, looking down at the blanket covering them rather than up at her boyfriend's face, "I guess I just kind of wanted you to stay in my room, that's all"

Joe looked confused, but his face had soon cleared and he looked surprised.

"We've been dating for three days!" his eyes twinkled as he nudged her in the ribs good-naturedly, "You little slut"

Bonnie didn't laugh with him; she just grew pinker, "You've waited for me for a long time. It kind of feels like we've been together a long time, as well. Because we've known each other so long"

"You already slept with Teddy" his voice was bitter, "I suppose you thought I'd let you give yourself up that quickly too"

She drew back to gape at him, horrified and alarmed, "What?! No I didn't!"

"Bonnie, it's fine. I know you won't want to talk about it, but I overheard the two of you talking – that night I was staying here and I left without a word? It's because I heard you telling him you wanted to have sex with him and saw the two of you kissing and I...I couldn't stand it. So I left. But I know what happened between you"

"No!" Bonnie was suddenly laughing, relieved, "No, that's the thing! I – we _were_ going to, you got that right, but Teddy didn't really seem that into the idea once we'd actually gotten into bed, and I just didn't feel comfortable. I told him I wasn't ready. We didn't sleep together" she paused to let the news sink in before continuing, "And I've worked that out. Although me and Teddy didn't work it out at the time, I think the reason we weren't ready is because we would have felt like we were betraying you and Victoire. That's why it never happened"

Joe was beaming, laughing with her in his relief, "Oh, thank God!" his face and voice grew solemn, "Then it's even more important that we wait a little while. It's your first time, you need to be completely ready"

"It's your first time, too. Do you feel ready?"

"Well, yes, I do. But that's different. Like you said, I've waited for you for a long time. I've had a lot of time to get used to the idea"

"I've gotten used to the idea as well" she twisted round in the seat to kiss him, and when she drew back he looked a little doubtful about what exactly he was arguing against.

"Your Dad's upstairs" Joe said at last, clearly anxious but weakening.

"And? He won't come downstairs, he sleeps like the dead. Even if he did, he couldn't moan at me. Him and Mum were married at the age we are now, and God only knows she wasn't a virgin at the wedding"

"Hm" Joe murmured as she kissed his neck, "Married. That sounds nice"

Bonnie pulled abruptly away from his neck, eyes curious, "What did you just say?"

"Nothing" Joe said quickly, a little thoughtful smile on his lips, "Just a thought. But not yet"

"Shut up and kiss me" she ordered, looking back at him with her chin jutting and a challenging smile on her lips.

And Joe did as she asked.

* * *

"Vi"

"Mhm?" Viria looked up from her book with a smile, putting it to one side when she saw the expression on her husband's face, "Ah. I wondered how soon it would be before we had this conversation"

"What conversation?" Fred asked innocently, "I wasn't planning on there being any conversation involved" he leaned towards her and kissed her, a long, lingering kiss which Viria responded to enthusiastically. He drew back to look at her, a crease between his eyebrows.

"I just wasn't sure that you'd be ready. You know, after...after the baby" he always hesitated when speaking about their lost child, and that night was no different. A fleeting expression of pain crossed his wife's face, but then her smile returned.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. Anyway, we want more kids still, don't we? I can't hide away forever" she threw back the sheets with a flourish to reveal the fact that she was naked underneath. Fred gawped, then a grin spread across his own face.

"You were planning a seduction anyway, weren't you? Sneaky!"

Viria grinned back, "Maybe a little" she rolled on top of him, her hair brushing against his chest, tongue tracing the shape of his lips. Fred groaned. Viria's smile grew.

"At least it's not just Bonnie getting some action tonight" she mumbled, more to herself than her husband, but it alerted Fred at once. He pushed her away from him, though she was still straddling him.

"What? What do you mean? Joe's sleeping downstairs!"

Viria rolled her eyes, "Oh, darling, did a flight of stairs ever keep _us _apart? You even broke through that locked door when we were at my parents', do you remember?" she continued to kiss him, lips skimming his jaw. Fred pushed her back again, eyes wide with horror.

"We're different! Bonnie's not supposed to do that!"

"She is seventeen, Fred. And she knows the charm"

"Who taught her the charm?!"

"I did!" Viria rolled her eyes again, growing exasperated.

"That'll just encourage her!"

"Oh, Fred. She'd be doing it anyway. Better she knows the charm than ends up pregnant like I did. Now, concentrate on me" her kisses became more insistent, but, yet again, he pulled away.

"I hardly feel like doing that now!" he protested. Viria raised her eyebrows and moved against him with a little grin on her face. He gave a strangled gasp.

"Your body is sending out a _very _different message" she told him solemnly, still smiling. Fred moved back to kiss her, this time hungrily.

"Fine. I'll pay attention to you" he mumbled against her lips, "But I _will_ be discussing this with Bonnie in the morning"


	19. Dancing

**A/N: Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter. Only two chapters left! I can't believe it. Please review and thanks for reading!**

_Masquerade!  
Burning glances,  
turning heads...  
Masquerade!  
Stop and stare  
at the sea of smiles  
around you!_

_Masquerade!_  
_Grinning yellows,_  
_spinning reds..._  
_Masquerade!_  
_Take your fill -_  
_let the spectacle_  
_astound you – Masquerade, Phantom of the Opera._

"How did you find it?" Bonnie queried, grabbing Victoire's arm as they left the exam hall, "Did you get that question on Redcaps and Hinkypunks right? I think I did, though I could only think of two similarities. D'you thi –"

"Oh God" Victoire rolled her eyes, "Shut up! Bonnie, that was our last exam. Our last exam _ever_. I do not want to come out of it and dissect every last question. Leave it be, please"

"How did you find it?" Joe asked, coming over to Bonnie with an anxious look on his face, "That question on Redcaps and Hinkypunks – "

"_Sacre Bleu_!" Victoire shrieked, throwing up her hands, "You two really are made for each other" she looked up at Teddy, "If you dare ask me what I thought of it – "

"I wasn't planning to" Teddy grimaced, "Who wants to go over an exam over and over again once it's done?"

Bonnie and Victoire both burst out laughing, Victoire's face softening as she kissed Teddy's cheek.

"I do love you" she told him happily, and the two of them walked over, waving goodbye over their shoulders. Bonnie turned back to Joe.

"I'm glad we're all friends now" she said brightly, "And I have to tell you something"

"Is it exciting?" Joe asked, raising his eyebrows and linking her arm. Bonnie leaned into him, grinning.

"Yes. Mum and I are planning a party to celebrate the end of my last year in school – you know how parties cheer her up – and it's not just going to be any party"

"I'm intrigued"

"You ought to be. We're going to have a masquerade ball!"

* * *

"You do have a taste for the flamboyant, don't you?" Fred teased his wife, watching her settle her scarlet mask over her eyes. She wore a beautiful red evening dress too, floating out into a light chiffon skirt but with a tight silk bodice.

"It's my French genes" Viria concurred, smiling, "You look very dashing in that outfit"

Fred laughed, bouncing Jack on his knee, "I've never been called dashing before. Thanks. You look gorgeous" as she moved towards him to take the baby, a smile of pure joy spread across his face and he reached out to lay a hand upon her stomach, "Are we going to tell everyone tonight?"

"We only found out yesterday!" she protested, "Anyway, I want to wait until it's been a few months. Just in case"

"It's not going to go wrong" Fred assured her, but Viria would not be moved.

"I know. But I don't want to say anything just yet, alright?"

"Fine" Fred rolled his eyes, and Bonnie appeared in the bedroom, towing Finn by the hand. Fred let his hand drop from Viria's belly.

"Everyone's arriving" she announced, "It's great fun! Aunt Ginny looks amazing"

"I thought the whole point of a masquerade ball was that no-one knew each other?" Fred queried, puzzled. Viria and Bonnie grinned at each other.

"Oh, it is" said Viria, smiling, "It gives you a chance to woo me all over again, doesn't it?"

Now he looked slightly panicked, "You want me to do that? You were hard enough to woo the first time around!"

Viria winked at him, "I know. That's why I thought it would be fun to see you try"

* * *

"Bonnie, you look..." Joe gawped at his girlfriend, not quite knowing what to say. Bonnie pouted.

"Darn it, you know who I am! It would have been fun if you hadn't recognised me"

"Like I wouldn't recognise you! You look stunning, Bon, you really do"

She twirled, fluttering big green eyes under the glittering green shade of her mask, "Thank you very much, sir. You look rather handsome yourself"

"We're not in one of those Muggle period dramas, Bonnie"

She huffed, returning back to her pout, "I know we're not! I just thought it would be fun, that's all"

Rolling his eyes and mentally resolving to put all dignity aside for that one evening, Joe bent in an elegant bow to Bonnie, taking her hand and kissing it. The grin returned to her face and she giggled.

"May I have this dance?"

Bonnie cocked her head to listen to the music. It was a Weird Sisters track, and though she would have preferred a slow dance, she couldn't fault Joe's acting. She took his hand, inclining her head regally.

"Yes, sir. Yes, you may"

As they moved on to the dance floor they were soon joined by Teddy and Victoire, who grinned and waved over at them, completely missing the point of a masquerade ball. Victoire looked a vision in rose pink, and Bonnie was relieved to see that everytime she and Teddy looked at each other, they glowed with joy.

As the evening progressed, masks were discarded. Joe danced with his little sister Jessica instead, so Bonnie grabbed Finn. She decided that relying on an eight year old to make her look like an elegant dancer was a decision she would never make again. Even later on, Bonnie noticed that her sister was dancing with Liam Jordan, who hadn't looked at Bonnie once that evening but was looking at Ally as though she were the prettiest girl in the world. She felt another shred of relief.

It was past twelve when Fred magically magnified his voice and hollered that he wanted to make an announcement to his family. Viria, pink in the face and glowering, tried to stop him, but everyone had fallen silent and was looking at them expectantly. Bonnie gave her mother a quizzical look, but Nana Molly seemed to have already worked out what the announcement would be, and was beaming tearfully at her seat.

Fred grabbed Viria's hand and yanked her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"So, guys, we have an announcement to make – one that you're probably sick of hearing from us – but after everything that's happened, we know you'll be as pleased as we are"

There was a pause. A beam spread across Bonnie's face as she realised what was coming, heart lifting. Joe squeezed her hand.

"We're going to have another baby"

And from the Weasley-Potter clan, as well as all their friends, came a huge cheer, a great roar that almost lifted the roof off of the marquee. Viria was bright with pride and relief, as was almost everyone else.

Molly and Arthur were the first to offer their congratulations, rushing to their son with a speed that far exceeded the expectations of their age. Soon Fred and Viria were surrounded, and all Bonnie could see from where she stood with Joe were her parents' laughing faces as they accepted all the congratulations they deserved.

She looked up at Joe, smiling, "That'll be us one day"

Joe grimaced, but his eyes were twinkling, "So you're that determined to keep me, are you, Bonnie Weasley?"

"Oh yes" she pressed a kiss just below his earlobe, the closest place she could reach, "Of course"


	20. Epilogue

**A/N: I haven't actually got any reviews yet, but this is the LAST CHAPTER (aside from my super-long thank you AN) and I'm really excited about writing it. Please review one last time *sob*!**

_Don't say no, no, no, no, no  
Just say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah  
And we'll go, go, go, go, go  
If you're ready, like I'm ready_

_'Cause it's a beautiful night_  
_We're looking for something dumb to do_  
_Hey baby_  
_I think I wanna marry you – Marry You, Bruno Mars._

**FOUR YEARS LATER**

"Hey, Joe?" Bonnie called, slamming the front door shut behind her and crouching down on the doormat to pick up the bag of food she'd bought them as a cheat dinner, "I bought food! God, today was so hectic – had this man who insisted that keeping a pet dragon in the same room as his three year old son wasn't dangerous and – " she looked up, frowning, then shrieked.

Her entire family, as well as all of her and Joe's friends, were standing in their living room.

Bonnie gawped at them, wide eyed and with her heart hammering from the shock, "What the hell are of you doing here?! JOE! Am I hallucinating?"

They all burst out laughing and Joe appeared, pushing through the throng of their family and friends to get to her. Bonnie looked at him, lost and still quite startled.

"No, you're not hallucinating" Joe looked thoroughly amused as he came over to her and planted a light kiss on her lips, "I invited them here"

"Are we celebrating?" she narrowed her eyes, "Am I pregnant, and you have some spooky way of knowing about it before I do?"

Joe laughed, "No. I invited them here to witness what I hope will be one of the most romantic moments of your life"

Bonnie still looked puzzled, but her face had softened into a smile, "We've had a lot of those"

"I know. But this one's special"

Before the assembled guests, Joe got down on one knee and produced a small square box from his pocket. Bonnie shrieked, clapping a hand to her mouth.

"Oh my God!"

"Wait a minute!" Joe was laughing again, his face bright, "You haven't seen the ring yet, or heard my speech"

"Ok, ok! Go on!" there were tears in her eyes.

"Bonnie, I've loved you for a very, very long time. I always knew that one day I wanted to marry you. And now the day has finally come when I can ask you that question, and I can hardly believe it myself. I don't deserve you, Bon, and I never will, so I'm going to ask you this before you find someone better to spend the rest of your life with" there was a rumble of appreciative laughter; Bonnie gave a watery giggle.

"Go on" she whispered, enraptured. Joe smiled, and opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. Bonnie gasped, and looked at him with eager, earnest eyes.

"Bonnie Viola Weasley, will you marry me?"

"YES!" Bonnie yelped, flying into his arms where he knelt and knocking them both on the floor, "Yes, yes, yes!"

Everyone laughed, cheered, surged forward to hug them and congratulate them. Joe heaved Bonnie off of him and, when they were on their feet, slid the ring onto her finger. Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks – she had never cried for joy before. They kissed, but were abruptly broken apart when Fred got to them, crushing his eldest daughter in his arms with a fierceness that surprised them both.

"God I wish you were five years old again" he mumbled into her hair, and Bonnie squeezed him tighter.

"I'll always be your little girl, Dad" she pulled away from him with a grin, "However big and disagreeable I am now"

Viria came to her daughter next, while Joe was being fussed over by his weeping mother and excited sister. She had tears in her eyes, too.

"I'm so happy for you, my angel" they hugged tightly, just as Bonnie and Fred had done. Bonnie inhaled the scent of her mother's sweet perfume.

"How did you manage to keep it a secret from me?" she asked, amused. Viria had never kept a secret from her daughter in her life. She shrugged.

"It was important. I can keep my mouth shut when I really have to"

They both laughed, and Bonnie was suddenly battered on both sides by her two youngest siblings. Three years earlier, not long after the miscarriage of her fifth baby, Viria had given birth to twins, a boy and girl who she named Frank and Isabella. Everyone adored Frank and Isabella, because Isabella was the image of Viria and Frank the image of Fred; when the two of them stood together they looked like a younger version of their parents. Isabella was also the sweetest little girl in all the world, while Frank was the most boisterous little boy, taking lessons from Jack, who was now almost six.

"Hey, guys" Bonnie ruffled Isabella's long dark hair and Frank's red curls, then patted Jack on his red head, "Are you happy for me?"

Jack and Frank began to pummel her with their soft fists, a sure sign of their excitement, but when they were dragged away by Viria, it was Isabella who stayed by her big sister with wide green eyes.

"Will you have a big dress, Bonnie?"

"I sure will. And you can have a dress too, Bella. You can me my bridesmaid"

"Can I wear pink?"

Bonnie winced; she'd been planning on green, but no-one could refuse Isabella, "Sure, sweetheart. Of course you can"

Isabella, beaming, hugged her older sister's legs and ran off to join her brother. Bonnie was then congratulated by twelve year old Finn, who had grown extremely handsome and was adored by Joe's sister Jessica, as well as little Alice Longbottom. Ally came next, tall and dark and really quite lovely at sixteen, with her arm linked with Liam Jordan's. She swore that she would make the best maid of honour the world had ever seen.

Teddy and Victoire were among the last to push through the crowd. Bonnie, Joe, Teddy and Victoire had been quite the quartet since leaving school, and were rarely out of each others' sight. Teddy had their two year old daughter, Amelie Nymphadora, seated on his shoulders. She was squealing with laughter, golden curls swinging around her face. Joe high-fived her, making her laugh all the more. Victoire was also pregnant with their second child.

"We went to St Mungo's today, to find out about the baby" she told Bonnie after offering delighted congratulations and a few heavy hints to Teddy about how nice it would be to have a double wedding. Bonnie distinctly saw Teddy wink at Joe, but decided to play along and not say anything to Victoire about the obviously upcoming proposal.

"Ooh!" Bonnie squealed, "Go on, tell me!"

"It's a boy" Victoire grinned, glowing, "We're going to call him Remus John"

"Of course" Bonnie hugged her best friend closely, "I'm so happy for you, Vicky"

"I'm happy for you, too" they clung together for another few moments before breaking apart and allowing Rose to hug her favourite cousin. Rose, now fifteen, had grown as pretty as her mother, and certainly as clever. Her boyfriend, Scorpius Malfoy, stood awkwardly beside her. Bonnie hugged him as well, because she knew that he still felt worried about being around her family. She felt him relax as they hugged and saw that it had also made Rose smile.

"You want to be a bridesmaid, I presume?" she offered, eyebrows raised. Rose beamed.

"Please! Unless you've got too many?"

"Rose, we're Weasleys. Of course I've got too many. But I still want you, okay?"

"Okay! Thanks, Bonnie"

"You're welcome. There's no-one more suited to the job"

Bonnie didn't get to speak to her fiancé again until several hours later, once all the guests had departed. By the time they had reached their bedroom, she was drooping with exhaustion, but not enough so that she couldn't thank him for that night.

"It couldn't have been a better proposal" she assured him with a lingering kiss. Joe looked relieved.

"I have been planning it since you agreed to date me. If it hadn't been flawless, that would have been worrying"

She laughed, "You've been planning it for that long?!"

"Yes. But I wanted to wait until we were completely settled and you seemed completely ready"

"I appreciate that" another kiss, "That amount of organisation and effort, as well as that rather romantic speech, deserve a reward"

Joe raised his eyebrows as though in surprise, "Do they really? Hm. I can't begin to think of how you could reward me"

A wicked grin spreading across her face, Bonnie threw her weight against him, knocking him down onto the bed with force. Joe blinked up at her, smile gone to be replaced with desire.

"Oh, now I get it" he murmured, and reached out to kiss his bride-to-be.


	21. AN

Hi! I always write a super-long AN to thank everyone individually, and also to give you a little bit of info about what I think happens after the end of this story. So here goes. Thank you so, so much to all my reviewers:

Themaraudersroxmysoxs, who leaves the most enthusiastic reviews I have ever received.

WingardiumLeviosa86, who has always seemed so interested in what happens next!

Superpig909, who I consider to now be a really good friend of mine, and fellow Luna Lovegood enthusiast.

Scarpelt18, who writes really good fanfiction that you should go and read!

Lady Eleanor Boleyn, a great friend of mine who not only works on fics with me and all my madness but writes AMAZING stories that should be read by everyone.

Em38, who read 'My Funny Valentine' and made me happy by carrying onto this.

Thanks also to everyone who didn't review!

Here's what happens after this story, if you're interested, as I won't be writing another sequel. If there's any characters I don't mention, let me know:

Bonnie and Joe: Bonnie and Joe get married at long last and end up with four children, three boys and, finally, a girl. These are Seb, Peter and Ollie, and Viola (who grows up to be just like her grandmother and rather a problem for her parents!)

Fred and Viria: Live to a happy old age with their menagerie of children and grandchildren, quite happy and content to just be with each other for the rest of their lives.

Teddy and Victoire: After the birth of Remus John, they finally get married, but have no further children. Amelie Nymphadora is kind of a pain.

Ally: Despite a long relationship with Liam Jordan, she eventually ends up marrying a Muggle, causing her family to have to try very hard not to slip up in front of him. And giving her Grandad Arthur a lot of joy and questions.

Finn: It's Alice Longbottom who finally wins Finn's heart, and together both of them move to Hogwarts to teach. They have one child, a daughter named Jennifer.

Jack: Grows up to take over the business of his father and Uncle George, which kind of puts a halt to his love life. He doesn't seem to mind.

Isabella and Frank: The twins, after causing Hogwarts staff a lot of trouble in their seven years of education, both end up married and, while Frank helps Jack out, Isabella gains a respectable job in the Ministry of Magic, eventually becoming the wife of a Minister.

So, that's that! I really enjoyed writing this and I hope you all did too. Please review!


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